LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Shelf ,SM 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



Galilee and Peraa. 

Province of Herod Antipas. 
North Peraa. 

Province of Philip. 
^Sarnaria.'\ First province of Arehel&us 
v ~~« v > afterward of the Roman Gover 
yudea^^Xnpr, Pontius Pilate. 




References. 
I and 2. First Journeys. 



Nazareth, Bethany 



beyond Jordan, 
Desert of Temptation, Return: Beth- 
any, beyond Jordan, Capernaum, 
Nazareth. 

First Passover. 
Nazareth. Jerusalem. Return 
through Judaea and Samaria (Si- 
chein, Jaccb'sWell), Cana, Nazareth. 

To Capernaum, Ac. 
Nazareth, Capernaum (dwelling 
there). 

Feast ef Purim. 
Capernaum, Nazareth, Nain, Beth- 
any, Jerusalem; return tc Caper- 
naum. 

In Galilee, Ac. 
Capernaum, Bethsaida-Julias, Ca- 
pernaum ; Borders of Tyre and Si- 
.}.', , ,don, Coasts of Deeapolis, Country of 

/fefhMSiy beyond, Dalmanutha, Bethsaida-J uliaa, 
''Jordan Csesarea Philippl, Mount Tahor, 
Capernaum. 

7. Feast of Tabernacles. 
Capernanm, Borders of Samaria, 
Jerusalem; return to Persa. 

8. Feast of the Dedication, &e. 
Perasa, Jerusalem, Bethany, Eph- 
raim, Jericho. 

9. Last Passover. 
Jericho, Bethany, Jerusalem. 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 

[Formerly "A Pictorial Commentary "] 



GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK. 

WITH THE 

TEXT OF THE COMMON VERSION, 1611, AND THE KEVISED 
VERSION, 1881 (ENGLISH HEADINGS AND EENDERINGS). 

jfourtl) (Ebitton. 

EIGHTH TZHZOTXS^IIsriD, 
MAPS AND ENGRA VINGS. 



F®*^ 



EDWIN W/RICE, D.D., 

AUTHOR OF " PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW," " PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY ON LUKE,' 
"PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN," "OUR SIXTY-SIX SACRED BOOKS," ETC., ETC. 






w 1 . x 

MAY 11 JSS2 ) 
PHILADELPHIA : 

THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, / ' 2J&J % "*• 

1122 Chestnut Street. ^^ 



New York : 8 & 10 Bible House, 

1892 



'•}£■ 
-&^1 



-^ 



PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION. 



The completion of mj Commentaries upon the other Gospels, and the con- 
tinued demand for this volume, have led me to make such corrections and 
alterations in the Introduction and comments as seemed necessary to bring 
this work into substantial uniformity with my Commentaries on Matthew, 
Luke, and John, and to change the title from "A Pictorial " to " People's 
Commentary on Mark." 

A special note in regard to the authenticity of the closing section of the 
Gospel will be found on pages 17, 18, in addition to the argument in earlier 
editions. 

The author gratefully recognizes the favor with which the Commentary 
has been received, and hopes that in this new form and at the very low price 
it may continue to be widely useful to students of the Gospel. 

EDWIN W. KICK 

April, 1892. 



Copyright by The American Sunday-School Union, 1881. 
Copyright by The American Sunday-School Union, 1892. 



d 



rt. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 

Whoever hopes to gain instruction without attention or study, had better 
lay this book down before reading another line. Knowledge worth having 
cannot be had without labor. 

The value of this work can soon be tested by use. The Revised Version 
of the New Testament, by throwing new light on many hitherto difficult and 
obscure passages, has greatly diminished the value of commentaries based 
only on the "Authorized Version." The design of this ''Pictorial Commen- 
tary" is to furnish for the English reader a commentary on the Revised 
as well as the " Authorized" Version, and one representing the latest ac- 
cepted results of Biblical scholarship in explanation of Mark's Gospel. The 
full texts of the Authorized and of the Revised versions, therefore, are pre- 
sented in parallel columns, at the head of each page. 

In preparing this work the aim has been : 

(1) to make no comment on what needed none; 

(2) to explain whatever called for explanation, and to point out some 
inferences which might be overlooked by the ordinary reader ; 

(3) not to pass any obscure or difficult passage without giving some 
solution which the best scholars have offered ; 

(4) to state important explanations in the language, when practicable, 
of some leading expositor, giving his name ; 

(5) yet not to quote half a dozen expositors holding contradictory views 
on the same point, and leave the reader buried under this mass of contra, 
dictions. Having only partial statements before him, he would be quite as 
likely to miss, as to apprehend, the view supported by the greatest weight of 
scholarship. It is the work of the true author to guide his readers to a 
correct conclusion, and this Has been the sincere aim of the writer of this 
work; 

(6) to glean from the best works of eminent Biblical scholars and critics, 
from the apostolic age to the present, especially those of Post-apostolic 
writers and of the latest Biblical critics ; 

(7) to give particular attention to the events connected with our Lord's 
last Passover, his arrest and trial, and resurrection. The principal charge 
in the accusation against him before the Council and Pilate is brought out 
with greater clearness, it is believed, than in other current commentaries ; 

(8) to impress some practical lessons suggested by eminent and devout 
men of God, at the end of each of the topical divisions ; 

(9) in the introduction, to present briefly the results of recent scholar- 
ship id respect to the authorship, style, character and contents of Mark's. 

3 



Gospel, with a special note on the disputed portion, at the close of the 
Gospel ; 

(10) to introduce illustrations, not for ornament, but to bring in the aid 
of the eye in explaining and impressing Scriptural truth. 

The chronology indicated in the notes is that of Robinson, modified by 
Andrews. 

Especial aid has been derived from the Cambridge Bible for Schools, by 
J. J. S. Perowne and G. F. Maclear ; from the recent commentaries of Elli- 
cott and Canon Cook, and from the works of Farrar, Andrews, and Geikie, 
on the Life of Christ. A list of other leading authorities consulted is else- 
where given. 

The reader will find the careful comparison of the Revised text with that 
of the King James' Version of great value. It will frequently show why no 
comment is made on phrases noted in commentaries confined to the Author- 
ized Version, the Revision having removed the obscurity from a large num- 
ber of passages. 

The immense progress in Biblical knowledge in the past few years, and 
especially the issue of the Revised New Testament, imperatively demand 
new Commentaries in order that the student of God's word may be " ready 
always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning 
the hope that is in you." — 1 Pet. iii, 15, Revised Version. 

In the early Christian Church, the symbol of St. Mark was a man-headed 
lion. There is a legend that the body of this Evangelist was removed from 
Alexandria to Venice, in A.D. 827, and the lion of St. Mark was placed upon 
the standard of the Venetian Republic. The figure upon the cover of this 
volume will remind the student of this ancient symbol. 

Philadelphia, December, 1881. 



LIST OF LEADING AUTHORITIES CITED. 



A. 

Abbot, Ezra. 
Abbott, Lyman. 
Addison, Joseph, 1719. 
Alexander, Archibald, 1851. 
Alexander, Joseph Addison. 
Alford, Henry, 1871. 
Ambrose, Isaac, 397 a. d. 
Andrews, S. J. 

Athanaaius, The Great, 373 a. d 
Augustine, Aurelius, 430 a. d. 

B. 

Barclay, J. T. 
Barnes, Albert. 
Barrow, Isaac, 1677. 
Baur, F. C. 

Baxter, Richard, 1691. 
Beecher, Henry Ward. 
Bellarmine, Robert, 1621 
Bengel, J. A., 1752. 
Bentley, Richard, 1742. 
Beza, Theodore, 1605. 
Bleek, W. H. I. 
Bloomfield, S. T. 
Boardman, Henry A. 
Bochart, Samuel, 1667. 
Bonar, Horatius. 
Brentius, Brentz, 1570. 
Brookes, Thomas, 1680 
Brown, David. 
Bucer, Martin, 1551. 
Buchanan, Claudius. 
Burgon, J. W. 
Burkitt, William. 
Butler, Bish. Joseph, 1752. 
Buxtorf, John. 1629. 



Calvin, John, 1564. 
Campbell, George, 1796. 
Chalmers, Thomas, 1847. 
Chrysostom, John, 407. 
Clark, George W. 
Clarke, Adam, 1832. 
Clement, of Rome, 2d Century. 
Conant, Thomas J. 
Cook, Canon F. C. 
Cranmer, Thomas, 1556. 
Cyprian, Thascius C, 258 A. D. 
Cyril of Alexandria, 444 a. d. 
Cyril of Jerusalem, 386 a. d. 

D. 

Da Costa, J. M. 

Davidson, Samuel, 1851. 

Davis, Samuel, 1761. 

Derenbourg, M. 

De Wette, W. M. L., 1849. 

Doddridge, Philip, 1751. 

Dupin, M 

Dwight, Timothy, 1817. 



E. 

Ebrard, J. H. A. 
Edersheim, Alfred. 
Edwards, Jonathan, 1758. 
Ellicott, Charles J. 
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. 
Erasmus, D., 1536. 
Eusebius, Pamphili, 340 A. D. 
Evans, Christmas. 
Ewald, G. H. A., 1875. 



Fairbairn, P. 
Farrar, Frederic W. 
Fuller, Andrew, 1815. 



Geikie, Cunningham. 
Gerlach, Otto Von. 
Gerhard, E. 
Gill, John, 1771. 
Godwin, John H. 
Gray, J. Comper. 
Greenleaf, Simon. 
Greswell, Edward, 1837. 
Grotius, Hugo, 1645. 

H. 

Hackett, Horatio B. 
Hales, William, 1814. 
Haley, John W. 
Hall, John. 

Hall, Bish. Joseph, 1556. 
Halyburton, Thomas, 1712. 
Hengstenberg, E. W. 
Henry, Matthew, 1714. 
Hermas, Shepherd of, 141 A D 
Hickok, Laurens P. 
Hitchcock, Edward, 186 
Hooker, Richard, 1600. 
Hooper, Bish. John, 1554. 
Hort, F. J. A. 
Howson, J. S. 

I. 

Ignatius, St., 115 A. d. 
Irenseus, St., 202 a. d. 

J. 

Jacobus, M. W. 
Jahn, Johann, 1816. 
Jerome, St., 419. 
Josephus, Flavius, 103 A. ». 



Kitto, John, 1854. 

Krafft. 

Kuinoel, Chr. G., 1841. 



LIST OF LEADING AUTHORITIES CITED. 



L. 

Lange, John Peter. 
Lewin, Thomas. 
Lichtenstein, F. W. J. 
Lightfoot, John, 1675. 
Lightfoot, J. B. 
Lowth, Robert, 1787. 
Lttcke, G. C. F., 1855. 
Luthardt, Christian E. 
Luther, Martin, 1546. 

M. 

Maclear, G. F. 
McCheyne, Robert, 1843. 
McCosh, James. 
McGregor J. (Rob Roy). 
McKnight, James. 
Maldonatus, John, 1583. 
Mansel, H. L., 1871. 
Martyr, Justin, 164 a. d. 
Melancthon, Philip, 1560. 
Meyer, H. A. W. 
Miller, Hugh. 
Miller, Samuel, 1850. 
Milton, John, 1674. 
Mimpriss, Robert. 
Moody, D. L. 

N. 

Newcome, William, 1800. 
Nicodemus, Gospel of. 
Norton, Andrews, 1846. 



Olshausen, Hermann. 
Osiander, Andreas. 
Owen, John J. 



P. 



Paley, William. 
Patrick, Simon, 1707. 
Payson, Edward. 
Penn, Granville, 1844. 
Perowne, J. J. S. 
Petter, George, 1661. 
Phelps, Austin. 
Pliny, 79 a. d. 
Plumptre, E.H. 
Plutarch, 120 A. i>. 
Poole, Matthew, 1679 
Porteus, Beilby, 1808. 
Post, George E. 



Quesnel, Pasquier, 1719. 

R. 

Regginbach, C. J. 
Reland, Hadr, 1718. 
Riddle, Joseph Esmond. 
Ripley, Henry J. 
Robinson, Edward, 1863. 
Romaine, William, 1795. 
Rosenmtlller, Ernst F. K., 1836. 
Rutherford, Samuel, 1661. 
Ryle.J. C. 



s. 

Salvador, Joseph. 

Schaff, Philip. 

Schauffler, W. G. 

Schleiermacher. Fredk. E. D., 1834 

Scott, Thomas, 1821. 

Scrivener, F. H. 

Shakespeare, William, 1616 

Shedd, Wm. G. T. 

Smith, J. Pye. 

Smith, William. 

Spurgeon, C. H. 

Stanley, Arthur P. 

Starke, Christopher, 1744. 

Stier, Rudolph. 

Stock, Eugene. 

Strabo, Pontus, b. c. 25. 

Strong, James. 

Sumner, Arch. J. B., 1862. 

Suetonius, Caius, a. d. 117. 



Tacitus, C. Cornelius, first century. 
Taylor, Isaac. 
Taylor, Jeremy, 1667. 
Tertullian, Quintus, third century. 
Theodoret, 393. 
Tholuck, Fredk. A. G. 
Thompson, William M. 
Thomson, Archbishop. 
Tischendorf, L. F. C, 1874. 
Tobler, Titus, 1877. 
Townsend, George, 1827. 
Trapp, John, 1669. 
Tregelles, S. P., 1875. 
Trench, Richard C. 
Tristram, H. B. 
Tyndale, William, 1536. 



Van Dyck, C. V. A. 
Van Lennep, Henry J. 
Vincent, John H. 

w. 

Walker, James B. 

Weiss, John. 

Wesley, John, 1791. 

Wetstein, Johann Jacob, 1754. 

Westcott, B. F. 

Whateley, Richard, 1836. 

Whedon, D. D. 

Whiston, William. 

Whitby, Daniel, 1726. 

Wieseler, Karl. 

Williams, George. 

Winer, Geo. Benedict, 1858. 

Wordsworth, Bish. Christopher. 

Wyclif, John De, 1384. 



Zwingle, Ulrich, 1531. 



GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK. 



INTRODUCTION. 



A general history of the Kingdom of God, or of Redemption, includes a 
complete history of the human race, viewed in its religious character : Bib- 
lical history relates the founding and extension of that kingdom, as it has 
been recorded by inspired authors, in the two great divisions of the Bible : 
the Old Testament and the New Testament. There are two natural divi- 
sions of the New Testament narratives: (1) the Gospel history; (2) the 
Apostolical history. The Gospel history, in the time it covers, is one of 
the smallest divisions of sacred history ; yet, as containing the centre and 
core of all history, it is by far the most important, and intrinsically the grand- 
est of all. It is the inspired account of the life, labors, and instructions of 
Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. This history has come to us in a fourfold 
form; four portraitures, four Gospel narratives, yet but one Gospel.* While 
there is surprising freedom and diversity of topics, arrrangement, and expres- 
sion, they all exhibit to us the same great subject and the same wonderful 
life of Christ, far more harmoniously than Xenophon and Plato have pre- 
sented to us their teacher, Socrates. f 

Origin of the Gospels. The four Gospels have been generally accepted 
as having been written by the four persons whose names they bear. Two 
of these were apostles, and two were associated with the apostles, as constant 
companions. All their narratives were written under special direction of 
the Holy Spirit, after the ascension of Christ and before the end of the 1st cen- 
tury. They were received by the early Christians as authentic accounts of the 
life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 

Hoio Preserved. No autograph copy of a gospel written by the Evan- 
gelists has been preserved. They are all lost, with little hope of discovery, 
as they were probably written on the brittle papyrus then in use. A few 
specimens only of this paper have been preserved, accidentally, in Egyptian 
tombs and mummies, and in the lava at Pompeii. J Other copies and ver- 
sions were made in great numbers by those succeeding the Apostles, and some 
of these are still preserved. Constantine the Great ordered Eusebius (died 
in 340) to make fifty MS. copies of the Scriptures, and some, as Tischendorf, 
think it probable that the Sinaitic MS. is one of these fifty. 

* See Ulhorn, Life of Jems, Am. Ed. pp. 78-114. 

f J. A. Alexander, on Mark, p. vi. 

| See Westcott and Hort Greek Testament, Am. Ed., p. xii. 

7 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

The present Greek text of the Gospels is derived from three sources : 
I. Greek MSS. ; II. Ancient versions ; III. Quotations by the Early Fath- 
ers. 

I. Greek MSS. The MS. copies of the N. T. now in existence are of 
two classes : (1) The Uncials, or those written in capital letters, which are 
the oldest, dating from the fourth to the tenth century. Dr. Scrivener gives 
the whole number of Uncial MSS. at 97, and of cursives MSS. at 1997 ; but 
his list is not correct; Abbot (1885) notes 92 Uncials; Schaff (1888) 91 
Uncials ; Gregory (1890) 87 distinct Uncials, and describes 22 new ones, 
making the total number of Uncials 109. The five most impor- 
tant of these MSS. are the Sinaitic, the Vatican, the Alexandrian, 
codex Ephraim, and codex Bezae. Another Uncial, probably of the sixth 
century, was discovered, in 1879, atRossano,in Calabria, and is called codex 
Rossanensis. It was discovered by two German scholars, Gebhart and Har- 
nack, and is written on purple-colored parchment, in silver letters, richly 
ornamented with pictures. Only portions of it have yet been made available 
for the use of scholars.* (2) The Cursives, or MSS. written in a running 
hand, and dating from the tenth to the fifteenth century. There are known 
to be 3553 MSS. of this class, 1201 of which are Lectionaries. This class of 
MSS. has been only partially examined or collated by critical scholars. 

II. Ancient Versions are a second source of the Greek text of the 
Gospels, and have aided in preserving and securing it to us. They are next 
in value to the MSS. , and some of them are older witnesses than any MSS. 
in existence. Among the most important of the ancient Versions are : (1) 
the Syriac, which includes the Peshito, dating, in its oldest form, from the 
middle of the second century ; the Philoxenian, of A. D. 508 ; the Cureto- 
nian fragment and the Jerusalem Syriac ; (2) the Latin, including the old 
Latin, and the Vulgate of Jerome, A. D. 405 (which was the first book 
printed (A. D. 1455), and known as the Mazarin Bible) ; (3) the Ethiopic : 
(4) the Coptic, in two dialects, the Memphitic and Thebaic ; (5) the Gothic 
of Ulphilas, of the fourth century ; and (6) the Armenian versions of the fifth 
century. 

III. Quotations from the Christian Fathers include (1) the Greek, as 
Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, of the first and second cen- 
turies, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Eusebius, 
and others in the third and fourth centuries ; (2) the Latin, as Tertullian, 
Cyprian, Novatian, Lactantius, Hilary, Ambrose, Pelagius, Augustine, and 
Jerome. About one hundred of these authors have been examined and their 
citations collated by various critics. 

Printed Editions op the Greek Text. The most important of the 
printed editions of the Greek Text of the Gospels and of the N. T. are those 
by Erasmus, 1516-1535 ; Stephens, 1546-1551 ; Beza, 1565-1588-9 ; Elzevirs, 
1624-1641 ; the Complutensian, 1514-1522 ; by Wetstein, 1751-52 ; Gries- 
bach, 1775-1806; Lachmann, 1831-1850; Tischendorf, 1864-1872; Tregel- 

* Other Uncials since found swell the number to 109. 



Specimens of existing MSS. of the Scriptures. 

tdth cevceBGi^c 
MycTHf/oN ; oce 

4th Cent. Codex Sinaiticus — 1 Tim, iii. 16. 
to T7js evo"€/3€ios j fjivo"ri)pi.ov [6e late corr.] os e. 



NorcNHceceif 

4th Cent. Codex Sinaiticus.— John i. 18. 
voycvjjs 0[eo]s [o utv corr.J eis tov. 

vju/fkofT** 



T 



4th Cent. Codex Vaticanus. — Mark xvi. 8. 

o~Tao~i; Ktu ovSevi ov j $ev enrov tfyofiovv | 70 yap: 




NApx'hiHNOAqrocKAioAoracH 

i TlfOCTON8N']ai0CHNO\OroC« 

5th Cent. Codex Alexandrinus.— John 1. 1. 
Ev ap^Tj »)*' o Xovos «<u o Aoyof iji* | trpoj tov (Teojv* /cat 0[eo] 5 7j»* o Aoyo* 








10th Cent. Codex Basiliensis, known to Erasmus, but little used by him. 
-Luke i. 1-2 nearly, as in all Greek Testaments. 



CBEEK MANTJSCKIPTS OF THE N. T. 



[From Schqff's Dictionary of the Bible.] 



10 INTRODUCTION. 

les, 1857-1879; Westcott and Hort, 1881. The English version of King 
James (1611) is based chiefly on the text of Beza and Stephens ; the Revised 
version (1881) mainly on that of Westcott and Hort. The learned Richard 
Bentley, in 1720, proposed to issue an edition of the Greek Testament, by 
collating the oldest copies of the first five centuries, but his proposal led to 
a bitter controversy, which crushed the execution of his laudable scheme, set 
back Biblical criticism in England for more than a century, leaving it in the 
hands of German scholars, of some of whom it can justly be said, their de- 
voutness was far less than their learning. The principles and plan which 
Bentley outlined, with rare critical discernment, have since been adopted as 
the only true or scientific method, and later scholars are reaping the rich 
results. 

English Versions. The leading English versions are: Wiclifs or 
Wycliffe's, 1381* Tyndale's, 1525; Coverdale's, 1535; Matthew's or Ro- 
gers', 1537; Tavener's, 1539; the Great Bible, 1539; the Genevan, 1557 
(this was the first that had the division into verses, following the Greek of 
Stephens, 1551) ; the Bishop's, 1568; the Rhemish, 1582 ; the King James' 
or so-called Authorized Version, 1611 ; the Revised Version, -1885.* 

In this Commentary the Authorized and Revised versions are presented 
in parallel columns. 

Characteristics of the Gospels. The first three of the Gospel his- 
tories relate the birth, life, and chiefly the Galilean ministry of Jesus, and 
explain his dealings with men ; the fourth presents more fully his Judaean 
ministry, and the deeper purposes and counsels of God, as revealed through 
His eternal Son. They are independent and distinct narratives, not one 
borrowed from another, but separate and trustworthy witnesses of the facts 
they record. Neither of them, however, intended to produce a complete 
history of the work and teachings of Jesus. Each account is designedly 
fragmentary, and all together, we may well believe, present but a small part 
of the teachings and transactions of the short but busy life of Christ on earth. 
Of the first readers for whom the Gospels were intended, it appears that 
Matthew wrote primarily for the Hebrews, Mark for the Gentiles, Luke for 
the learned heathen converts, John to exhibit Jesus as the Word made flesh, 
and as the Christ, the Son of God. See John i, 1 ; xx, 21. The early 
Christians assigned a special symbol for each Evangelist ; to Matthew a 
bullock ; to Mark a lion ; Luke a man ; John an eagle. The second and 
the briefest of the four Gospel narratives is 

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK. 

The author has been universally believed to be Mark == hammer, and 
the same as John Mark, John, and Marcus. Acts xii, 12, 25 ; xiii, 5, 13 ; 
xv, 37, 39; Col. iv, 10; 2 Tim. iv, 11 ; Philem. 24. His mother's name 

* See Rice : Our Sixty -six Stirred Books, p. 35 ff. 



INTRODUCTION. 11 

was Mary, who resided at Jerusalem and was an aunt to Barnabas.* She 
was a person of repute, for the early Christians gathered at her house for 
prayer, and thither Peter repaired on his miraculous release from prison. 
Mark was probably converted to Christianity under the instructions of Peter 
(1 Pet. v, 13), and some conjecture that he was the young man that followed 
Jesus on the night of the betrayal. He became the companion of Paul and 
Barnabas, on their first missionary journey, about A.D. 48, but left them, for 
some unknown cause, at Perga, and returned to Jerusalem. This led to a 
sharp contention between Paul and Barnabas, causing them to separate, and 
Barnabas, with Mark, went to Cyprus. Mark, however, again became the 
companion of Paul, during the latter's imprisonment at Rome, and from the 
warm esteem with which he is mentioned, it is clear that the offence was ex- 
plained, or forgiven by Paul. Whether Mark made his contemplated journey to 
Asia Minor, we are not informed (Col. iv, 10, 11). He was with Peter when 
the Apostle wrote his first Epistle (1 Pet. v, 13), and from the form of salu- 
tation there given, it is inferred that Mark spent some time in labors at Baby- 
lon, probably with Peter ; he also appears at Ephesus with Timothy (2 Tim. 
iv, 11), and Paul then commends him highly, showing how completely his 
confidence in Mark had been restored. Tradition, according to Epiphanius, 
makes him one of the seventy ; Eusebius and Clement, that he was Peter's 
interpreter or secretary, and sent on a mission to Egypt ; and Jerome, that he 
founded the church of Alexandria, and suffered martyrdom there, A. D. 68, 
three years after the death of Peter and Paul. The " interpreter of Peter " 
may mean that Mark translated for the Apostle, or, as many understand, that 
he wrote his Gospel in conformity with the testimony and preaching of Peter. 

Date. This is uncertain, as the statements of ancient writers are indefi- 
nite, not to say confusing. Eusebius states that Papias, on the testimony 
of John, declared that Mark wrote down what he recollected as the inter- 
preter of Peter ; and that Irenaeus said Mark wrote his Gospel in conformity 
to Peter's preaching, and after Peter and Paul were dead. Ancient author- 
ities placed its composition as early as A. D. 43, but on no credible evidence 
now known. There are no statements in the N. T. to decide the date. The 
most reasonable inference is that it was not written earlier than A. D. 62, 
and not later than A. D. 68 or 70. 

Place. Several ancient writers say it was written at Rome, as Clement, 
Eusebius, Jerome, Epiphanius. This is sometimes, though not necessarily, 
connected with the theory of its Petrine origin or character, and the assumption 
that Peter visited Rome, which is stoutly denied by many Protestant writers. 
Chry so stom mentions Alexandria, but his statement is not confirmed by other 
writers. The later theory, that Mark wrote at Antioch, is a mere assumption 
destitute of foundation. 

* In the A.V. the original is translated " Marcus, siBter's son to Barnabas," but av£(ptdq does 
not necessarily mean " nephew," hence the R.V. reads "Mark, the cousin of Barnabas." So Elli- 
cott, Ligbtfoot and Lange render it. Smith's Bible Dictionary ; article, " Mary, mother of Mark," 
erroneously speaks of her as sister to Barnabas. 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

Language. There has never been any reasonable doubt that Mark 
wrote his Gospel in Greek. Some Romanist writers started and defended 
the supposition of a Latin original, partly to maintain the authority of the 
Vulgate, and a pretended part of this original was shown in St. Mark's church, 
in Venice, but critics have detected it to be a part of an old Latin MS. of the 
four Gospels. We have not a single testimony to a Latin original of the 
Gospel. Had there been such a Latin original, it would have been familiar 
to many Christians, for the Latin was not like the Hebrew, little known, and 
though lost, it is almost incredible that every early writer should have omitted 
to mention it.* The later Romanist writers abandon the theory of a Latin 
original as utterly untenable. According to Milman, the church at Rome, 
if not all the churches of the West, for the first three centuries, were, so to 
speak, Greek colonies. Their language, their Scriptures, and their writers 
were Greek. All their Christian writings extant were originally Greek, as the 
works of Justin Martyr, the Shepherd of Hermas, and the Epistles of Clem- 
ent. Hence, Mark writing even at Rome, would naturally do so in the Greek 
language. 

For Whom Written. Tradition asserts that this Gospel was primarily 
prepared for Gentile Christian readers. An examination of the Gospel con- 
firms this view ; e. g. : 

(1) The general omission of Old Testament quotations, except where they 
occur in the discourses of the Lord, and in Mark i, 2, 3; xv, 28. 

(2) Omission of the genealogy t)f Jesus. 

(3) The interpretation of Hebrew or Aramaic words for Gentile readers, 
as Boanerges, Talitha cumi, Corban, Bartimceus, Abba, Eloi, lama sabach- 
tliani. 

(4) The explanation of Hebrew customs and usages, which would be 
familiar to the Jewish, but not to Gentile readers, as the Jews eat not unless 
they wash their hands oft (R.V., diligently; margin, "up to the elbow,") ; 
the preparation was the day before the Sabbath ; the Passover was killed 
(R.V., sacrificed, as in margin of A.V.) on the first day of unleavened bread. 

(5) The use of Latinisms or Latin forms not in the other Gospels, as 
speculator = soldier of the guard ; xestus = sextarius ; quadrantes = a far- 
thing ; centurion. 

Style. " Of the first three Gospels," says Alford, " that of Mark is the 
most distinct and peculiar in style." I. It has those graphic touches which 
describe the look, gestures, and feelings of our Lord, the appearance of the 
persons whom he addressed, and minute particulars of time, place, persons, 
and number, which are unnoticed by other Evangelists ; e. g. : 

(1) His peculiar look is noticed in Mark iii, 5, 32, 34; x, 23 ; xi, 11. 

(2) His acts and gestures in receiving little children, ix, 36 ; x, 16 ; in 
rebuking Peter, viii, 33 ; in going before the Apostles, x, 32 ; in gathering 
the Twelve about him, ix, 35. 

* See Alford, " N. T. for English Readers," p. 38. 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

(3) His feelings of indignation, sorrow, pity, hunger, wonder, see Mark 
iii, 5 ; viii, 12, 33 j x, 14 ; vii, 34 ; viii, 12 ; x, 21 ; vi, 34 ; xi, 12 ; iv, 38. 

(4) Persons about him : Simon and others, i, 29, 36 ; xiii, 3 ; of Phari- 
sees, Herodians and Scribes, iii, 6, 22 ; the twelve and Peter, xi, 11, 21 ; 
xvi, 7 ; servants, xiv, 65 ; the Cyrenian, xv, 21. 

(5) Number : two thousand, v, 13 ; two and two ; by hundreds, and by 
fifties, vi, 7,40; twice... thrice, xiv, 30. 

(6) Time and place : great while before day, i, 35 ; at the rising of the 
sun, xvi, 2 ; when even was come, iv, 35 ; at eventide, xi, 11 ; the third 
hour, xv, 25 ; the sea and seaside, ii, 13 ; iii, 7 ; iv, 1 ; in Decapolis, v, 20 ; 
vii, 31 ; against the treasury, against the temple, xii, 41 ; xiii, 3 ; the porch, 
xiv, 68 ; right side, xvi, 5. 

II. Mark's style is further characterized by abrupt transitions from one 
topic to another, executed with graphic power; e. g., a favorite word is 
"ebdlajq" which occurs forty times, and is variously rendered in the A. V., 
by "straightway," "immediately," "forthwith," and "as soon as." 

III. Another peculiarity of style is the frequent use of the historical 
present, instead of the past tense, imparting a lively and graphic effect to the 
narrative; e. g., "came" ("cometh" in R.V.), and "come," i, 40; ii, 3 ; 
xiv, 43, 66; "saith" instead of " said," i, 44; ii, 10, 17, etc. 

IV. Mark often uses the direct, instead of the indirect, form of expres- 
sion, as " Peace, be still," " Come out of the man," " What is thy name ? " 
" Send us into the swine." He also often gives the exact words used, as "Eph- 
phatha," "Corban," " Talitha cumi," "Boanerges," " Abba," " Eloi." 

General Character. The distinguishing features of Mark's Gospel 
are : (1) Its brevity ; (2) Vividness and fullness in presenting particular his- 
toric events ; (3) Brevity or omission of the discourses of the Lord. Of the 
thirty- seven miracles of Jesus, including his ascension, Mark records nine- 
teen ; while of the thirty or thirty-one leading parables, he notices only eight. 
Two miracles are related by Mark only, the healing of the deaf and dumb 
man, and of the blind man of Bethsaida. Two parables, also (if the household- 
er, Mark xiii, 34, be counted), are also given by Mark only, the principal one 
being the seed growing secretly, iv, 26 ; (4) The prominence given to Christ's 
power over evil spirits, in the miracles noted. Mark plainly aims to impress 
his Gentile readers with the kingly power of Jesus, as a spiritual conqueror 
and the wonder-working Son of God ; (5) Rapid succession of periods of 
solitude, and of manifold and hurried labors.* Here Jesus, says Archbishop 
Thomson, "sweeps over his kingdom swiftly, meteor-like, and men are to 
wonder and adore. His course is sometimes represented as abrupt, mysteri- 
ous, awful to the disciples ; he leaves them at night, conceals himself from 
them on a journey ; the disciples are amazed and afraid." " The Evange- 
list," observes Keim, " makes the histories more effective by the contrast 

* This fact will be strikingly apparent by a glance at the analysis presented at the close of 
this introduction, 



14 INTRODUCTION. 

between the hurried progress... and the contemplative stillness in which he 
paints the scenery with a thousand touches — the house, the sea, the follow- 
ers, the growing throng, the persons byname, the numbers of men, of beasts, 
of coins, the green grass, the pillow on the stern of the boat on Gennesaret — 
all described with the ready use of softening diminutives, and with words of 
time that denote the present." In such a life of constant "pressure" from 
multitudes of pitiable cases of sickness, deformity, and sorest affliction ; 
from disciples with crude beliefs, and ever recurring doubts ; from a crowd 
of followers, full of hard problems and selfish ambitions, urging their claims 
upon his attention ; from designing and crafty enemies, secretly striving to 
entrap him by their hypocritical manner and artful propositions ; in this 
" restless " career, thus sketched by the vivid pen of Mark, must we not re- 
cognize a true history ? 

Its Relation to Peter. The great majority of ancient writers state or 
imply that Mark was the interpreter of Peter. This has been explained by 
some as meaning: (1) that Mark translated into Greek, or more probably 
into Latin, the discourses of the Apostle, and probably acted as his secretary 
also. Others adopt the view: (2) that Mark wrote a Gospel presenting 
more closely than others the facts and truths concerning Christ as Peter 
preached them, thus becoming Peter's interpreter to the church at large.* 

Both views have been ingeniously, if not ably, defended, and there is 
nothing improbable in the supposition that Mark did act as interpreter for 
Peter, especially when preaching to Latin hearers, and that also in writing 
his Gospel, he presented the facts and teachings of Jesus as he had heard 
them from Peter's lips, during many years of companionship and labor with 
that Apostle. 

Some, as Maclear and Perowne, understand the testimony of Jerome, 
Tertullian, and especially Justin Martyr, to declare that Mark wrote his Gos- 
pel as Peter dictated it to him, and, therefore, it was accounted, in reality, 
Peter's Gospel. Others, as Archbishop Thomson, dispute this view, and 
hold that Justin Martyr probably referred to the "memoirs" of Jesus and 
not of Peter. The writings of those early Fathers coming to us, are in a 
very fragmentary state, and the most that can be safely asserted is, that 
Peter's preaching and oral testimony in regard to the facts in the life of 
Jesus, had an important influence upon Mark in the preparation of this Gos- 

* The testimony of John the Presbyter, as given by Papias and quoted by Eusebius, is : " This 
also [John] the Elder said : ' Mark, being the interpreter of Peter, wrote down exactly whatever 
thing he remembered, [or he (Peter) mentioned], but yet not in the order in which Christ either 
spoke or did them, for he was neither a hearer nor a follower of the Lord's, but he was afterwards, 
as I [Papias] said, a follower of Peter, who adapted his instructions to the needs [of his hearers], 
but not as designing to furnish a connected account of the Lord's oracles, so that Mark made no 
mistake while thus writing down some things as he remembered them. For of one thing he took 
care, to omit nothing which he heard, and not to set down any false statement therein.' " 

Irenaeus says that, after the death of Peter and Paul, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of 
Peter, " gave us. in writing, what had been uttered by Peter in his preaching." Clement and 
Qrigen repeat a similar tradition. 



INTRODUCTION. 



15 



pel, and that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Mark reproduced many 
of these facts from his recollection of them, as Peter had frequently related 
the same in his hearing. On the other hand, it must be concluded with 
Alford, Ellicott, and others, that this is Mark's, not Peter's, Gospel. It has 
been known as the Gospel according to Mark from the earliest time, and this 
ascription of it to him can best be accounted for on the ground that Mark was 
in fact the author. 

Genuineness. That the second Gospel was written by Mark has been 
uniformly believed. It is attested by explicit testimony, and little disputed, 
even by German critics. The conjecture that Mark simply compiled his Gos- 
pel from the narratives of Matthew and Luke, is thoroughly exploded and has 
been abandoned by the best critics. On the other hand, its brevity and vivacity 
of style have led to the opposite supposition, that it was the primitive Gospel. 
Authority and genuineness of the closing section. — The closing section 
of the Gospel, chapter xvi, 9-20, has given rise to critical difficulties. The 
brief marginal note of the Revised Version tends to arouse, rather than 
allay, the suspicions of the reader; hence the substance of the objections to, 
and of the arguments in favor of, retaining the passage will be stated. The 
objections are: (1) That the verses are wanting in two of the oldest MSS., 
and in some other MSS. of less importance ; (2) That in Jerome's day 
(latter part of the fourth and early part of the fifth centuries) the passage 
was not in many Greek copies ; (3) That there are many Greek words in 
these verses not before used in Mark's Gospel. 

In reply to these objections, and in favor of retaining the passage, the 
arguments are: (1) It is found in all the important ancient Uncial MSS. ex- 
cept three (the Sinaitic, Vatican, and "L"). It is claimed that too much 
stress has been laid upon the Sinaitic MS. by Tischendorf and some other 
critics ; for, according to Buttmann, Burgon, and others, that MS. is some- 
what remarkable for its omissions, and for the evident carelessness of 
its transcribers. The Vatican MS. leaves a space of over one column between 
Kara fiapnov, " according to Mark," and the beginning of Luke — a space suffi- 
cient to write the omitted verses — while no such space is left at the end of the 
other gospel narratives. The Kara [tapnov and the ornament (see p. 9) are evi- 
dently made by a later hand, thus giving the strongest evidence that the origi- 
nal scribe of the Vatican MS. was aware that he left the Gospel of Mark incom- 
plete. For the reason of his omission, see next page. 

There is a similar space in the same MS. at the close of Nehemiah, and of 
the apocryphal book of Tobit; and the MS. ends abruptly with Heb. ix, 14, 
omitting the pastoral Epistles, Philemon and Revelation. The MS. was not 
formerly accessible to Protestant scholars. Tischendorf saw it, but when he at- 
tempted to copy from it, the Roman Catholic officials abruptly took it from 
him. The Editions of it by Cardinal Mai and by Vercellone and Cozza are 
inaccurate; but a photographic fac-simile is now (1891) issued. 

(2) The closing passage in Mark is sustained by witnesses older than our 
oldest MSS. Indeed, all the most ancient Versions (with two minor excep- 



16 INTRODUCTION. 

tions) recognize the passage ; e. g., the Syriac (including the Peshito, of the 
second century, the Philoxenian, in two revisions, and the older Curetonian 
fragment) ; the old Latin or Itala ; the Coptic (including the Memphitic and 
Thebaic or Sahidic versions); the Vulgate ; and the Gothic version of the fourth 
century. The Christian Fathers before Jerome's time also generally concur in 
accepting the passage; e. g., the so called Epistle of Barnabas, written in 
the second century ; the Shepherd of Hermas, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus. 
The testimony of the latter is clear and indisputable. It is also recognized 
by Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose, and Augustine. 

(3) In reply to the objection of Greek words not before used in the Gos- 
pel, Canon Cook and others have ably shown that, applying a similar rule to 
any other passage peculiar to Mark, a larger proportion of unusual Greek 
words would be found than in the disputed passage, and hence those other 
passages would be thrown out, thus proving the objection untenable, if not 
absurd. This seems effectually to dispose of the linguistic objections of the 
critics. 

The omission of the passage in the two MSS. above noticed is accounted 
for thus : The origin of the objections to the verses has been traced to Euse- 
bius, who first made a supposition that the verses were omitted in order to 
answer an adversary, and subsequently changed the supposition into a stronger 
statement, out of which, it is conjectured by many, the objections have 
arisen. His original statements are characterized by Canon Cook, as "vague 
and inconsistent." Jerome simply reproduces the statements of Eusebius. 
The omission in the Sinaitic and Vatican MSS., which belong to about the same 
age, may be due to Eusebius. We know that he was ordered to prepare 
fifty MS. copies of the Bible, by Constantine the Great ; and Tischendorf 
thinks it not improbable that the Sinaitic MS. is one of those fifty. 

Many scholars retain the passage as authentic, who are not certain that 
it was written by Mark. Even Alford, who is more facile at finding difficul- 
ties and contradictions than harmonies, accepts it as authentic. It is received 
as undoubtedly a part of the second Gospel by such scholars as Ambrose 
and Augustine, and by Scrivener, Mill, Bengel, Matthsei, Eichhorn, Kuinoel, 
Hug, Scholz, Guericke, Olshausen, Ebrard, Bleek, Wordsworth, Lachmann, 
Burgon, and Canon Cook. Tregelles, Alford, Westcott, and Hort retain it 
with some special mark, as brackets, or a space between it and the foregoing 
text, indicating thereby that they accept it as authentic, that is, an inspired 
record, but are in doubt respecting its genuineness, that is, they incline to 
the view that it may not be by Mark, but was penned by some other inspired 
person. Its right, therefore, to a place in the sacred* canon may be regarded 
as sustained by a weight of testimony which places it beyond successful ques- 
tion. 

Its Value as a Single Gospel. If this Gospel by Mark were wanting 
we should be without a biography of Jesus calculated to enlist and carry the 
reader irresistibly along by the minuteness, vividness, and impetuous character 



INTRODUCTION. 17 

of the narrative. Mark, as an intimate helper and companion, alike of Peter, 
Paul, and Barnabas, and laboring in each of the great centres of the Jewish 
and Roman world by turns, appears to have caught and preserved to us 
some of the grander features of the work and words of Jesus, as those great 
Apostles presented them to listening multitudes of every nation in the then 
known world. " By their simple force," observes Westcott, he was moved 
"to look beyond the varieties of doctrine in the vivid realization of the 
actions of the Son of God. " And Wordsworth aptly says, "The brevity of 
this Gospel would commend it to the acceptance of the great body of the 
Roman people, especially of the middle classes engaged in practical busi- 
ness, legal affairs, commercial enterprise, and military campaigns, and mi- 
grating in frequent journeys from place to place." This purpose will account 
for the introduction of Latin words, and of a phraseology in accord with Ro- 
man usages. To conclude, in the thoughtful and judicious words of Canon 
Westcott: " In substance and style and treatment, the Gospel of St. Mark is 
essentially a transcript from life. The course and issue of facts are imaged 
in it with the clearest outline. If all other arguments against the mythic 
origin of the Evangelical narratives were wanting, this vivid and simple 
record, stamped with the most distinct impress of independence and origin- 
ality, totally unconnected with the symbolism of the Old Dispensation, totally 
independent of the deeper reasonings of the Xew, would be sufficient to re- 
fute a theory subversive of all faith in history. The details which were 
addressed to the vigorous intelligence of Roman hearers are still pregnant 
with instruction for us. The teaching, which 'met their wants' in the first 
age, finds a corresponding field for its action now." 

Harmony with the Other Evangelists. While Mark's Gospel is 
thus independent of the other Gospel writers, it is not in contradiction with 
them, but in full harmony with their narratives. This is more fully shown 
in the notes upon various portions of the text, which relate matters in com- 
mon with Matthew, Luke, or John. It was long ago noted by leading har- 
monists, that " Mark and John, who have little in common, follow, with few 
exceptions, the regular and true order of events and transactions recorded 
by them. ..Matthew and Luke manifestly have sometimes not so much regard 
to chronological order, as they have been guided by the principle of associa- 
tion, so that in them transactions having certain relations to each other are 
not seldom grouped together, though they may have happened at different 
times and various places." See Robinson's "Harmony," and Ellicott's 
" Lectures." 

Additional Note on the Closing Section. Only those belonging to the 
"radical" and "destructive" school of criticism would reject the last twelve 
verses of Mark's gospel. Their reasons for rejecting them may be reduced to 
the three already given on p. 15. 

In their critical editions of the Greek Testament, Tischendorf and Tre- 
gelles set the closing section of Mark apart from the other portion of the text. 
2 



18 INTRODUCTION. 

Westcott and Hort place it within double brackets, and follow it by what 
Scrivener calls "the wretched supplement" derived from an ancient MS. 
known as L. They follow verse 8 with asterisks, indicating a break or incom- 
pleted text. After admitting that the various lines of documentary, internal, 
intrinsic, and transcriptional evidence converge in making a strong case against 
the supposition that the Gospel was intended to end with verse 8, and also 
against the invention of verses 9-20 by a scribe or editor, they add : 

"There is, however, no difficulty in supposing on the contrary (1) that the 
true intended continuation of verses 1-8 either was very early lost by the de- 
tachment of a leaf or was never written down, and (2) that a scribe or editor, 
unwilling to change the words of the text before him or to add words of his 
own, was willing to furnish the Gospel with what seemed a worthy conclusion 
by incorporating with it unchanged a narrative of Christ's appearances after the 
resurrection, which he found in some secondary record then surviving from a 
preceding generation. ... It thus constitutes a condensed fifth narrative of the 
Forty Days." 

Dean Burgon, however, vigorously and valiantly defends the whole passage 
against objectors of every class. In his view the evidence, derived from the 
early MSS., the earliest versions, and from the testimony of the earliest Chris- 
tian writers, does not leave the origin and authorship of the passage in the 
uncertain state supposed by Westcott and Hort. 

The weakness of the argument against the genuineness of the passage, 
based upon the omission in the Vatican and Sinaitic MSS., was pointed out on 
p. 15. Critics of the most destructive and skeptical school, as Kenan, concede 
that the original writer could not have intentionally ended with verse 8. Such 
a closing with " yap " — "for" — is too abrupt and remarkable to be accepted as 
the end of a book. While the Greek "yap " is not a copulative like " and," it 
still leads the reader to expect something to follow. The next verse (9) also 
implies that something preceded its opening clause. Scrivener says : 

" In the balance of probabilities, can anything be more unlikely than that St. 
Mark broke off so abruptly as this hypothesis would imply, while no ancient 
writer has noticed or seemed conscious of any such abruptness? . . . 

" We emphatically deny that any such wild surmises are called for by the 
state of the evidence in this case. All opposition to the authenticity of the par- 
agraph resolves itself into the allegations of Eusebius and the testimony of N 
B [Sinaitic and Vatican MSS.]. Let us accord to these the weight which is 
their due ; but against their verdict we can appeal to the reading of Irenseus 
and of both the elder Syriac translations in the second century ; of nearly all 
other versions, and of all extant manuscripts excepting two." 

The Christian fathers before Jerome generally accept the passage. Justin 
Martyr, the Shepherd of Hermas, the so-called Epistle of Barnabas, written in the 
second century, and Irenseus, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose, and Augustine, 
likewise recognize it as authentic. The Arabic MS. copy of Tatian's Diatessaron 
(or harmony of the four Gospels), a Latin version of which is now (1888) in 
press, contains these verses, a fresh evidence of their authenticity. The con- 
clusion then is that a long line of the ablest critics unite in retaining the last 
verses of Mark as a proper part of the Gospel record. 



INTRODUCTION. 19 

ANALYSIS OF MARK'S GOSPEL.* 

A marked peculiarity of the Gospel is the succession of severe labors 
and conflicts, alternating with periods of withdrawal and rest. The ascen- 
sion forms the final withdrawal, to be followed by a final victory at his second 
coming. 

Part I. 

Note in this part : (1) the concise introduction; (2) omission of a genealogy 
of Jesus. 

I. Introduction :— i,* -13. 

(1) Baptism and Preaching by John i, 1 — 7. 

(2) Baptism of Jesus i, 8 — 11 

(3) The Temptation i, 12—13. 

Part II. 

Note here : (1) alternate periods of labor and rest; (2) opposition of Phari- 
sees to his claim to forgive sins, to his eating with publicans, neglect of 
fasts, and breaking the sabbath ; (3) selection of apostles ; (4) mission 
of the twelve; (5) murder of Baptist ; (6) feeding of five thousand. 

II. Ministry of Christ in Eastern Galilee: — i, 14 — vii, 24. 

(A) Section (1) 

(1) Announcement of the Kingdom i, 14, 15. 

(2) Call of four disciples i, 16— 20. 

(3) Cure of the demoniac, at Capernaum i, 21 — 28. 

(4) Cure of Peter's wife's mother and others... i, 29 — 34. 

( i ) Retirement to a solitary place i, 35. 

(5) Tour in Galilee i, 35— 39. 

(6) Cleansing of a leper i, 40 — 45. 

(ii) Retirement to desert places i, 45. 

(7) The ruling powers complain of: 

(a) The cure of the paralytic ii, 1 — 12. 

(6) Call and feast of Matthew ii, 13—22. 

(c) The disciples pluck the ears of corn...ii, 23 — 28. 

(d) Cure of the withered hand and others. iii, 1 — 12. 
(iii) Retirement to the lake iii, 7 — 12. 

(B) Section (11) 

(1) Call of the Apostles iii, 13—19. 

(2) Conflict with Scribes from Jerusalem iii, 20—30. 

(3) His friends and true kindred iii, 31 — 35. 

(4) Parables of the Kingdom: 

(a) The Sower iv, 1— 9. 

(6) Explanation of the parable iv, 10 — 25. 

(c) The seed growing secretly iv, 26 — 29. 

(d) The mustard seed iv, 30—34. 

(5) Signs of the Kingdom : 

(a) The stilling of the storm iv, 35 — 41. 

(6) The Gadarene demoniac v, 1 — 20. 

(c) The woman with the issue of blood v, 25 — 34. 

(d) The daughter of Jairus v, 21—43. 

(6) Rejection at Nazareth vi, 1 — 6. 

(iv) Retirement into the villages vi, 6. 

* In the preparation of this Analysis, aid has been derived from the scholarly Commentaries 
of Professors J. J. S. Perowne, G. F. Maclear, and J. P. Lange, Amer. Ed., by Professors Schaff 
»nd Shedd. 



[i 



20 INTRODUCTION. 

(C) Section (in) 

(1) Mission of the Apostles vi, 7—13. 

(2) The murder of the Baptist vi, 14—29. 

(3) Apostles return vi, 30. 

(v) Retirement to a desert place vi, 31 — 32. 

(4) The feeding of the five thousand vi, 33 — 44. 

(5) The walking on the sea vi, 45 — 52. 

(6) Victories over disease in all its forms vi, 53 — 56. 

(7) Renewed opposition of the Pharisaic party, vii, 1 — 23. 

(vi) Retirement to the borders oj Tyre 

and Sidon vii, 24. 

Part III. 

Note here: (1) the renewed and deepening hostility of the rulers-, (2) call 
for a sign ; (3) hope for Gentiles in the answer to the Syro- Phoenician ; 
(4) a crisis in Jesus' ministry, (5) the transfiguration-, (6) foretelling 
his passion. 

III. Ministry of Christ in Upper Galilee : — vii, 24 — ix, 37. 

(A) Section (1) 

(1) Healing of the daughter of the Syro-Phoe- 

nician vii, 24 — 30. 

\2) Gradual healing of the deaf and dumb vii, 31 — 37. 

'3) Feeding of the four thousand viii, 1 — 9. 

(4) The Pharisees ask for a sign viii, 10 — 13. 

(5) Warning against the leaven of the Phari- 

sees and of Herod viii, 14 — 21. 

(6) Gradual cure of the blind man viii, 22 — 26. 

(vii) Retirement to the region of Caesar ea 
Philippi ..viii, 27. 

(B) Section (11) 

(1) Jesus and Peter's great confession viii, 27 — 30. 

(2) First Clear Prediction of his Passion, of 

the cross-bearing by disciples viii, 31 — ix, 1. 

(viii) Retirement to the mountain range 

of Hermon ix, 2. 

(3) The Transfiguration ix, 2 — 13. 

(4) The lunatic child ix, 14—27. 

(5) The secret source of strength ix, 28 — 29. 

(6) Second Prediction of the Passion ix, 31 — 32. 

(7) The Apostles taught (a) humility, (b) self- 

denial ix, 33—50. 

Part IV. 
Note here : conflicts with the rulers. 

IV. Conflicts and Victories in Persea : — x, 1 — 45. 

(1) The question of marriage and divorce x, 1 — 12. 

(2) The blessing of little children x, 13— 16. 

(3) The rich young ruler x, 17—22. 

(4) The danger of riches x, 23—27. 

(5) The reward of self-sacrifice x, 28 — 31. 

(6) Third Prediction of the Passion x, 32 — 34. 

(7) The ambitious Apostles x, 35 — 45. 



INTRODUCTION. 21 

Part V. 

Note here : (1) the dullness of the Apostles as to the sufferings of the Messiah ; 

(2) the triumphal entry; (3) the second cleansing of the temple; (4) the 
bitter hostility of the rulers; (5) Judas, a traitor; (6) the Lord's 
Supper; (7) how the narrative becomes full and minute towards the last. 

V. Conflicts and Victories in Judaea : — x, 46 — xv, 47. 

(A) Section (1) 

(1) Blind Bartiniaeus at Jericho x, 46 — 52. 

(2) The anointing at Bethany xiv, 3 — 9- 

(B) Section (11) 

(1) The triumphal entry xi, 1 — 11. 

(ixj Retirement to Bethany xi, 11. 

(2) The withering of the barren fig-tree xi, 12— 14. 

(3) The second cleansing of the temple xi, 15 — 18. 

(x) Retirement to Bethany xi, 19. 

(4) Lesson of the withered fig-tree xi, 20 — 26. 

(5) The question of the deputation of the San- 

hedrin and the counter question xi, 27 — 33. 

(6J Parable of the wicked husbandmen xii, 1 — 12. 

(7; Subtle Questions : 

(a) Of the Pharisees : the tribute-money. x\\, 13 — 17. 
(6) Of the Sadducees ; the resurrection... xii, 18 — 27. 
(c) Of the Lawyer ; the importance of the 

Commandments xii, 28 — 34. 

(8) The Lord's counter-question xii, 35 — 40. 

(9) The widow's two mites xii, 41 — 44. 

(10) Prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem 

and the end of the world xiii, 1 — 37. 

(xi) Retirement at Bethany Comp. xiv, 12 and 16. 

(11) The Conspiracy xiv, 1, 2, 10, 11. 

(C) Section (in) The Passover, Agony and Arrest. 

(1) Directions respecting the passover xiv, 12 — 16. 

(2) The Passover meal and institution of the 

Lord's Supper xiv, 17 — 26. 

(3) Peter's professions xiv, 27 — 31. 

(4) The Agony in Gethsemane xiv, 32 — 12. 

(5) The Arrest xiv, 43—50. 

(6) The Incident of the young man xiv, 51 — 52. 

(D) Section (iv) The Trial and Crucifixion. 

(1) The Jewish Trial xiv, 53—65. 

(2) The denials by Peter xiv, 66— 72. 

(3) The Council xv, 1. 

(4) The trial before Pilate xv, 1—15. 

(5) The Crucifixion.... xv, 16—32. 

(6) The Death and Burial xv, 33—46. 

Part VI. 
Note here: (1) the hesitation of the disciples to believe the resurrection of 
Jesus ; (2) the final charge and distinct promise of miraculous power ; 

(3) ascension as a final withdrawal; (4) the Lord's power in the growth 
of his church. 

VI. Christ's Resurrection and Ascension : — xvi, 1 — 20. 

(1) The rest of Christ in the tomb...xv, 47 — xvi, 1. 

(2) The visit of the women xvi, 1 — 3. 

(3) The Resurrection xvi, 4 — 8. 



22 INTRODUCTION. 



(4) The Appearances after the Resurrection : 

(a) Mary Magdalene xvi, 9 — 11. 

(6) Two disciples xvi, 12—13. 

(c) The Eleven xvi, 14. 

5) The Last Charge xvi, 15—18. 

6) The Ascension < xvi, 19. 

7) The Apostles preaching , xvi, 20. 

MIRACLES AND PARABLES IN MARK. 



The Miracles of our Lord recorded by Mark may be arranged as dis 
playing His power over 
(i) Disease. 

(1) Simon's wife's mother i, 30 — 31. 

(2) The leper i, 40—45. 

(3) The paralytic ; ii, 3—12. 

(4) The woman with the issue of blood v, 25 — 34. 

(5) *The blind man at Bethsaida viii, 22 — 26. 

f6) The lunatic boy ix, 17—29. 

(7) Bartimaeus x, 46 — 52. 

(n) Nature. 

(1) The stilling of the storm iv, 35 — 41. 

(2) The feeding of the five thousand vi, 32 — 44. 

(3) The walking on the lake vi, 45 — 52. 

(4) The feeding of the four thousand viii, 1 — 9. 

(5) The withering of the fig-tree xi, 12 — 14. 

(in) The Spirit-world. 

(1) The demon cast out in the synagogue i, 23 — 28. 

(2) The legion v, 1—20. 

(3) The daughter of the Syro-Phoenician wo- 

man vii, 24 — 30. 

(4) *The deaf and dumb man vii, 31 — 37. 

(iv) Death. 

(1) The daughter of Jairus v, 21—43. 

(i) Parables of the Early Group ; to the Mission of the Seventy: 

(1) The new clcth ii, 21. 

(2) The new wine ii, 22. 

(3) The sower iv, 3— 8. 

(4) *The seed growing secretly iv, 26 — 29. 

(5) The mustard-seed iv, 30—32. 

(ii) There are no Parables of the Intermediate Group related by Mark. 

(in) Parables of the Final Group : 

(1) The wicked husbandmen xii, 1 — 11. 

(2) The fig tree xiii, 28. 

(3) *The Householder xiii, 34. 

* Recorded only by Mark. 



ORDER OF EVENTS IN IIFE OF JESUS. 

(From Andrews' "Life of Our Lord.) 



Annunciation to Zacharias , Oct., 6 

Elisabeth conceives a son, and lives in retirement Oct.-March, 6-5 

Annunciation to Mary . . . , April, 5 

Mary visits Elisabeth, and remains three months April-June, 5 

Birth of John the Baptist June, 5 

Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem to be taxed Dec, 5 

Jesus born at Bethlehem Dec, 5 

The angel and the shepherds Dec, 5 

Circumcision of Jesus Jan., 4 

Presentation of Jesus Feb., 4 

Coming of the Magi Feb., 4 

Flight of Jesus into Egypt Feb., 4 

Return to Nazareth, and sojourn there May, 4 

Jesus, at twelve years of age, attends the passover April, 8 

John the Baptist begins his labors Summer, 26 

Baptism of Jesus Jan., 27 

Jesus tempted in the wilderness Jan.-Feb., 27 

Deputation of Priests and Levites to the Baptist Feb., 27 

Jesus returns to Galilee Feb., 27 

Wedding at Cana of Galilee Feb., 27 

First Passover of Jesus' ministry ; cleansing of . le April, 27 

Jesus begins to baptize May, 27 

Jesus departs into Galilee, through Samaria Dec, 27 

A few weeks spent by Jesus in retirement Jan.- April, 28 

The Baptist imprisoned March, 28 

Second Passover; healing of impotent man April, 28 

Jesus begins His ministry in Galilee April-May, 28 

Calling of four disciples, and healings at Capernaum April-May, 28 

First circuit in Galilee ; healing of the leper May, 28 

Return to Capernaum, and healing of the paralytic Summer, 28 

Plucking the corn, and healing the withered hand Summer, 28 

Choice of apostles, and Sermon on the Mount Summer, 28 

Healing of centurion's servant at Capernaum Summer, 28 

Journey to Nain, and raising of the widow's son ...... Summer, 28 

Message to Jesus of the Baptist Summer, 28 

Jesus anointed by the woman; a sinner Autumn, 28 

Healing at Capernaum of the blind and dumb possessed; charge of the Phari- 
sees that He casts out devils by Beelzebub ^ Autumn, 28 

Teaching in parables; and stilling of the tempest Autumn, 28 

Healing of demoniacs in Gergesa, and return to Capernaum, Autumn, 28 

Matthew's feast; healing of woman with issue of blood L and raising of Jairus' 

daughter Autumn, 28 

Healing of two blind men, and a dumb possessed; Pharisees blaspheme 

Autumn, 28 

Second visit to Nazareth ; sending of the twelve Winter, 29 

Death of Baptist ; Jesus returns to Capernaum Winter, 29 

Crossing of the sea, and feeding of the 5000 ; return to Capernaum Spring, 29 

Discourse at Capernaum respecting the bread of life April, 29 

Jesus visits the coasts of Tyre and Sidon ; heals the daughter of Syro-Phcenician 
woman ; visits the region of Decapolis ; heals one with an impediment in 

his speech ; feeds the 4000 Summer, 29 

Jesus returns to Capernaum: is tempted by the Pharisees; reproves their 

hypocrisy; again crosses the sea; heals blind man at Bethsaida Summer 29 

Peter's confession that He is the Christ; He announces His death and resurrec- 
tion ; the transfiguration Summer, 29 

Healing of lunatic child Summer, 29 

Jesus journeys through Galilee, teaching the disciples ; at Capernaum pays 

the tribute money, goes up to feast of Tabernacles Autumn, 29 

23 



24 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

He teaches in the temple ; efforts to arrest him Oct., 29 a.d. 

An adulteress is brought before him; attempt to stone him; healing of a man 

blind from birth ; return to Galilee Oct., 29 " 

Final departure from Galilee; is rejected at Samaria; sending of the Seventy, 

whom he follows Nov., 29 " 

Jesus is attended by great multitudes; parable of the good Samaritan ; He gives 

a form of prayer Nov., 29 " 

Healing of a dumb possessed man ; renewed blasphemy of the Pharisees ; 

dining with a Pharisee ; Jesus rebukes hypocrisy; parable of the rich 

fool Nov.-Dec, 29 " 

Jesus is told of the murder of the Galileans by Pilate; parable of the fig tree; 

healing of a woman 18 years sick; is warned against Herod.. . .Nov.-Dec, 29 " 
Feast of Dedication, visit to Mary and Martha; the Jews at Jerusalem attempt 

to stone Him ; He goes beyond Jordan Dec, 29 ** 

Jesus dines with a Pharisee, and heals a man with dropsy ; parables of the 

great supper, of the lost sheep, of the lost piece of silver, of the unjust 

steward, of the rich man and Lazarus , Dec, 29 " 

Resurrection of Lazarus; counsel of the Jews to put Him to death; He retires 

to Ephraim Jan.-Feb., SO " 

Sojourn in Ephraim till Passover at hand; journeys on the border of Samaria 

and Galilee; healing of ten lepers; parable of the unjust judge, and of 

Pharisee and publican ; teaching respecting divorce; blessing of children; 

the young ruler, and parable of laborers in the vineyard Feb.-March, 30 " 

Jesus again announces His death ; ambition of James and John March, 30 " 

Healing of blind men at Jericho; Zaccheus ; parable of the pounds ; departure 

to Bethany March, 30 " 

Supper at Bethany, and anointing of Jesus by Mary, Sat., April 1, 30 " 

Entry into Jerusalem ; visit to the temple, and return to Bethany 

Sunday, April 2, 30 " 
Cursing of the fig tree ; second purification of the temple ; return to Bethany 

Monday, April 3, 30 " 
Teaching in the temple ; parable of the two sons, of the wicked husbandmen, 

of the king's son ; attempts of his enemies to entangle Him ; the poor 

widow ; the Greeks who desire to see Him ; a voice heard from Heaven ; 

departure from the temple to the Mount of Olives ; discourse respecting the 

end of the world ; return to Bethany ; agreement of Judas with the priests 

to betray Him Tuesday, April 4, 30 " 

Jesus seeks retirement at Bethany Wednesday, April 5, 30 " 

Sending of Peter and John to prepare the Passover; the paschal supper 

Thursday, April 6, 30 " 

Events at paschal supper Thursday eve., April 6, 30 " 

After supper Jesus foretells the denials of Peter; speaks of the coming of the 

Comforter, and ends with prayer Thursday eve., April 6, 30 " 

Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane Thursday eve., April 6, 30 " 

Jesus is given into the hands of Judas Thursday, midnight, April 6, 30 " 

Jesus is led to the house of Annas, and thence to the palace of Caiaphas; is 

condemned for blasphemy Friday, 1-5 a.m., April 7, 30 " 

Mockeries of His enemies ; He is brought the second time before the council, 

and thence taken before Pilate, Friday, 5-6 a.m., April 7, 30 " 

Charge of sedition; Pilate finds no fault with Him, and attempts to release 

Him, but is forced to scourge Him, and gives Him up to be crucified, 

Friday, 6-9 a.m., April 7, 30 " 

Jesus is crucified at Golgotha Friday, 9-12 a.m., April 7, 30 " 

Upon the cross is reviled by his enemies; commends His mother to John; dark- 
ness covers the land ; He dies ; the earth shakes, and rocks are rent 

Friday, 12 A.M.-3 p.m., April 7, 30 " 

His body taken down and given to Joseph, and laid in his sepulchre 

Friday, 3-6 p.m., April 7, 30 " 

Resurrection of Jesus, and appearance to Mary Magdalene ... 

Sunday, a. m., April 9, 30 " 
Appearance to the two disciples at Emmaus ; to Peter and to the eleven at 

Jerusalem Sunday, p.m., April 9, 30 " 

Appearance to the apostles and Thomas Sunday, April 16, 30 *•" 

Appearance to seven disciples at sea of Tiberias, and to 500 at mountain in Galilee, 

April-May, 30 " 
Final appearance to the disciples at Jerusalem, and ascension to heaven, 

Thursday, May 18, 30 w 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



ON 



THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK. 



| HAP. I.— The beginning: of the gospel of 
i Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I 
send my messenger before thy face, which shall 
prepare thy way before thee. 

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths 
straight. 

4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and 



Authorized Version. Revised Version. 

CHAP. I.— The beginning of the gospel of rpHE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 
Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 1 x the Son of God. 

" 2 Even as it is written 2 in Isaiah the prophet, 
Behold, I send my messenger before thy 

face, 
Who shall prepare thy way ; 

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 
Make ye ready the way of the Lord, 
Make his paths straight ; 

4 John came, who baptized in the wilderness 
1 Some ancient authorities omit the Son of God. 2 Some ancient authoiities read in the 

prophets. 

1-9. Baptism and Preaching by John, A. D. 26, 27. 

1. The beginning'] " Here is the beginning of 11 or " here begins the gos- 
pel," etc. This is either a title to the book, or, as Schaff suggests, to the first 
section. " Some connect it with the next verse, the beginning of the gospel 
(was) as it is written in the prophets ; others with verse 4, the beginning 
of the gospel was, John baptizing. But these constructions are too artificial. 
The verse describes the whole book as ' the gospel of Jesus Christ, 
the Son of God.' " — J. A. Alexander. Mark begins abruptly and concisely, 
not with a genealogy of Jesus, as Matthew, nor with the infancy of Jesus, as 
Luke, nor with the Eternal Word, as John ; but he sets forth Jesus Christ in 
his acts, and as the Messiah and Saviour of men. 

gospel] The noun occurs 75 times in the New Testament and the verb 25 
times. Gospel is from Saxon, god — good and spel — speech or news. The 
meaning, in Greek and in English, is glad tidings, good news. This gospel 
is singularly full of precious facts about the Lord Jesus, narrated in a 
simple, terse, pithy, and condensed style. 

the Son of God] Jesus as the Son of God, is the subject of the book. 
Contrast this with Matt, i, 1, " the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. 11 
Matthew writes for Jews ; Mark for Gentiles. 

2. in the prophets] The citation is from (1) Mai. iii, 1, and (2) Isa. xl, 3. 
The reading of the A.V. is in closest accord with the citations. " The sub 
ordinate relation of the later to the earlier prophecy would account for 
the reading, in Isaiah the prophet, regarded as the true text by the latest 
critics. " — Alexander. 

my messenger] The Greek word usually rendered angel is here used in 
its primary and wider sense. Mark makes only two Old Testament quo- 
tations of his own — here, and in xv, 28 (?), but notes several which Jesus 
made in his discourses. 

3. Lord] that is, Jehovah. "As this verse refers to Christ it is proof of 
his deitv." — Beza. 

4« the wilderness] The region extending from the gates of Hebron to the 
shores of the Dead Sea. " It is a dreary waste of rocky valleys ; in some 

(25) 



26 



People's commentary 



[Mi 



1, 5-6. 



Authorized Version. 
preach the baptism of repentance for the remis- 
sion of sins. 

5 And there went out unto him all the land of 
Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all bap- 
tized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing 
their sins. 

6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, 



Revised Version. 
and preached the baptism of repentance unto 

5 remission of sins. And there went out unto 
him all the country of Judaea, and all they of 
Jerusalem ; and they were baptized of him in 

6 the river Jordan, confessing their sins. And 
John was clothed with camel's hair, and had& 




parts stern and terrible, the rocks cleft and shattered by earthquakes and 
convulsions into rifts and gorges, sometimes a thousand feet in depth, 
though only thirty or forty in width. The whole district is, in fact, the 
slope of the midland chalk and limestone hills, from their highest point of 
nearly 3000 feet near Hebron, to 1000 or 1500 feet at the valley of the Dead 
Sea. The Hebrews fitly call it Jeshimon (1 Sam. xxiii, 19, 24), ' the appalling 
desolation,' or 'horror.' " — GeiJcie. 

baptism of repentance] u A ceremonial washing, which denoted a profes- 
sion of repentance, or a thorough change of mind,... with respect to sin." 
— Alexander. " It was a mere emblem of the purification required in the 
life and heart, and needed an after baptism by the Holy Spirit." — Geikie. 

for the remission] or unto the remission, as in the Revised Version. Comp. 
Matt, xxvi, 28 ; Luke i, 77. Remission means a loosing, leaving, letting go 
unpunished. It was to be received through the Messiah. John required of 
all a change of mind and life with a view to pardon from Christ. Thus his 

baptism was preparatory to that of Christ. 
11 Water baptism is an... emblem of that which 
must be received from the Holy Ghost." — 
A. Clarke. 

.5. all the land] The crowds that flocked 
to his baptism included representatives 
of every class, Pharisees and Sadducees 
(Matt, iii, 7), tax-gatherers (Luke iii, 12), 
soldiers (Luke iii, 14), rich and poor (Luke 
iii, 10). " How little dependence is to be placed on what is called ' popu- 
larity.' If ever there was a popular minister for a season, John the Baptist 
was that man. Yet, of all the crowds who came to his baptism and heard his 
preaching, how few, it may be feared, were converted. ^ Some, we may hope, 
like Andrew, were guided to Christ, but the vast majority, in all probability, 
died in their sins." — Ryle. 

confessing their sins] "The Greek verb being an intensive compound, 
denotes the act of free and full confession." — Alexander. " He was a good 
man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness 
towards one another, and piety toward God, and so to come to baptism." — 
Josephus. For further note on Baptism, see Chapter xvi, 16. 

6. was clothed] "The Evangelist draws attention to three points in 
reference to the Baptist : (a) His appearance. He recalled the asceticism 
of the Essene. His raiment was of the coarsest texture (camel's hair), such 
as was worn by Elijah (2 Kings i, 8) and the prophets generally (Zech. xiii, 
4). His girdle, an ornament often of the greatest richness in Oriental cos- 
tume, and of the finest linen (Jer. xiii, 1 ; Ez. xvi, 10) or cotton, or em- 
broidered with silver and gold (Dan. x, 5 ; Rev. i, 13 ; xv, 6), was of un- 
tanned leather (2 Kings i, 8), like that worn by the Bedouin of the present 
day. (b) His diet was the plainest and simplest. Locusts were permitted 
as an article of food (Lev. xi, 21, 22). Sometimes they were ground and 
pounded, and then mixed with flour and wafer and made into cakes ; some- 
times they were salted and then eaten. For wild honey comp. the story of 



7 locusts and wild honey. And he preached, 
saying, There cometh after me he that is 
mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I 
am n t 3 worthy to stoop down and unloose. 

8 I baptized you 4 with water ; but he shall bap- 
tize you 4 with the 6 Holy Ghost. 

9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus 
came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was bap- 

10 tized of John 6 in the Jordan. And straight- 



MarkI,7-9.] ON THE GOSPEL OP MARE. 27 

Authorized Yeusiox. Revised Version. 

and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and j leathern girdle about his loins, and did eat 
he did eat locusts and wild honey ; 

7 And preached, saying, There cometh one 
mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose 
shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and un- 
loose. 

8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but 
he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. 

9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus 
came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was bap- 
tize 1 of John in Jordan. 

3 Gr. sufficient. * Or, in 6 Or, Holy Spirit: and so throughout this book. 6 Gr. into. 

Jonathan, 1 Sam. xiv, 25-27. (c) His message. (1) That the members of 
the Hebrew Nation were all morally unclean, and all needed moral and spir- 
itual regeneration; (2) that One mightier than he was coming ; (3) that he 
would baptize with the Holy Ghost." — Camb. Bible. " It would be well for 
the church and the world if there were more ministers like John." — Ryle. 

7. cometh] present tense. The Baptist sees Christ as already come and 
in their midst. 

latchet] diminutive of latch, like the Fr. lacet, dim. of lacs, comes from the 
Latin laqueus=& "noose," and means anything that catches. We now 
only apply latch to the catch of a door or gate. We speak of a " shoe-tace," 
and "lace" is radically the same word. It was the thong or strap by 
which the sandal was fastened to the foot; comp. Gen. xiv, 23; Isa. v, 27. 
To unloose the shoe was the work of the meanest slave. The idea of dis- 
parity in position between John and the coming one could not have been 
more forcibly expressed to an Eastern audience. 

Practical Lessons. — "The last messenger of the Old Covenant points 
to the first of the New. The New Testament looks back to the Old." — 
Starke. " Jesus is Christ, Son of God, and therefore divine." " The Gos- 
pel is an anthem from the harps of heaven ; the music of the river of life, 
washing its shores on high and pouring in cascades on the earth." — Hoge. 
"The gospels are a garden enclosed, with its blossomed mounts and blazing 
parterres, and every several path leading up to that Tree of Life." — J. Ham- 
ilton. How little dependence can be placed on popularity. Crowds came 
to hear John; how few really followed God. "A preacher should be only a 
messenger who proclaims the coming of the Lord." — Gossner. The true 
preacher sinks his own identity, and exhibits Jesus only ; 1 Cor. ii, 2. 
9-13. The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus, A. D. 27. 

9. in those days] Jesus was then thirty years of age (Luke iii, 23), the age 
appointed for the Levite's entrance on "the service of the ministry" (Num. 
iv, 3). It was, therefore, about a. D. 27. 

came from Nazareth] his home and where he had grownup in peaceful 
seclusion, "increasing... in favor with God and man" (Lukeii, 52). The town 
Nazareth, unknown and unnamed in the Old Testament, was situated among 
the hills which form the southern ridges of Lebanon, just before they sink 
down into the Plain of Esdraelon. 

baptized... in Jordan] Either at the ancient ford near Succoth, which 
some have identified with the Bethabara or rather, Bethany (as in revised 
version) of John i, 28 ; or at a more southern ford not far from Jericho. 
Conder thinks the place identical with Abdrah, a leading ford of the Jordan, 
on the road to Gilead. " Without sins of his own to be confessed, 
repented of or pardoned, he identified himself, by this act, with his people 
whom he came to save from sin." — Alexander. " Mark's account of John's 
baptism has many phrases in common with both Matthew and Luke : but, 



28 



people's commentary 



[Mark I, 10-12. 



Authorized Version. 

10 And straightway coming up out of the 
water, he saw the heavens opened, and th^ 
Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 

11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, 
Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased. 

12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him 
into the wilderness. 



Revised Version. 
way coming up out of the water, he saw the 
heavens rent asunder, and the Spirit as a 

11 dove descending upon him: and a voice came 
out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, 
in thee I am well pleased. 

12 And straightway the Spirit driveth him 



from the additional prophecy quoted in verse 2, is certainly independent and 
distinct. " — Alford. 

10. straightway] This is Mark's favorite connecting word, and con- 
stantly recurs: the Greek word is sometimes rendered "immediately" in 
the A. V. ; comp. i, 12, 28 ; iv, 5, 15 ; viii, 10 ; ix, 15 ; xi, 3, and other places. 
he saw] We learn from Luke iii, 21, that Jesus was engaged in prayer. 
We find solemn prayer preceding (1) our Lord's baptism, (2) his choice of 
the twelve (Luke vi, 12), (3) his transfiguration (Luke ix, 29), (4) his 
agony in the garden (Matt, xxvi, 39). 

heavens] a plural Hebrew form which has no singular, and means simply 
the sky. 

opened] or rent asunder a graphic touch of Mark. Wiclif renders it 
"cleft." The same word in the Greek is used in Luke v, 36 (the new 
piece in the old garment) ; xxiii, 45 (rending the veil of the temple) ; Matt, 
xxvii, 51 (rending the rocks) ; John xxi, 11, (breaking or rending of the net). 

a dove] This visible emblem 
of the Spirit may refer to its 
gentleness, and to that quality in 
Christ's ministry, to the brood- 
ing of the Spirit at creation, 
Gen. i, 2 ; or to the use of the 
bird in sacrifice, Lev. i, 14. Its 
descent taught the union of the 
Son and the Spirit. 

11. a voice] The first of 
the three heavenly voices heard 
during his ministry at: (1) his 
baptism; (2) his transfiguration 
(Mark ix, 7) ; (3) in the courts 
of the temple during holy week 
(John xii, 28). 

He was thus by baptism and 
the unction of the Holy Ghost 
which followed (Matt, iii, 16; comp. Ex. xxix, 4-37; Lev. viii, 1-30), sol- 
emnly consecrated to his office as Redeemer. He gave to his church for 
all time a striking revelation of the divine nature, the Son submitting in all 
lowliness to every requirement of the law, the Father approving by a voice 
from heaven, the Spirit descending and abiding upon the Son. i I ad Jor- 
danem, et videbis Trinitatem." '== Go to Jordan and thou shalt see the Trin- 
ity. — Maclear. 

12. immediately] or straightway u One main design (of the temptation) 
was to prefigure and exemplify that bitter and protracted warfare... between 
the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman." — Alexander. The ob- 
ject of the Saviour was u to destroy the works of the devil " (1 John iii, 8). 
His very first work, therefore, was to enter on a conflict with the great enemy of 
mankind. The temptation was threefold in character: (1) through the 
appetites; (2) from presumption; (3) from ambition. See Matt, iv, 1-11. 




Mark 1, 13] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



29 



Authorized Version. 
13 And he was there in the wilderness forty 
days, tempted of Satan ; and was with the wild 
beasts ; and the angels ministered unto him. 



Revised Version. 
13 forth into the wilderness. And he was in the 
wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan ; and 
he was with the wild beasts ; and the angels 
ministered unto him. 



Tradition locates the scene of the temptation in Mt. Kuruntiil or Qurantana, 
a few miles northwest of Jericho. He was tempted that he might sympathize 
with and succour those who are tempted. (Heb. iv, 15). 

driveth him'] Literally expels him, Wiclif says, putted forth. It is a 
stronger word than that used by Matthew, led up (Matt, iv, 1), or by Luke, 
was led (Luke iv, 1). The word here used is in Matt, ix, 38, " send forth 
labourers into his harvest ;" and in John x, 4, " putteth forth his own." The 
Spirit, does not mean his own mind, nor Satan, but the Holy Spirit ; not 
tempting him, James i, 13, but simply bringing him to the scene of tempta- 
tion. The Spirit constrained him to go forth to the encounter with Satan, 
and the word driveth hints at rapid translation, such as caught and carried 
prophets and evangelists to a distance (1 Kings xviii, 12 ; 2 Kings ii, 16 ; 
Acts viii, 39). 

13. tempted of Satan] The temptation lasted during the whole period of 
forty days, as the words in Mark and Luke naturally imply, or at the close of 
the period, as suggested by the language of Matthew (iv, 2). "Both state- 
ments may be true ; he may have been assailed. . .during the whole period, but 
in a more palpable form at its conclusion. " — Alexander. The Vulgate, Arabic 
and Ethiopic versions add "forty nights " to the " forty days." In Matt, 
iv, 1 and Luke iv, 2, he is said to have been tempted by the Devil, i. e., the 
"Slanderer," who 'slanders God to man (Gen. iii, 1—5) and man to God 
(Job i, 9-11 ; Rev. xii, 10). Mark, who never uses this word, says he was 
tempted by Satan, i. e., u the Enemy " of God and man alike. 

the wild beasts] This intimates that he was beyond the reach of human 
help, and excludes the idea of even scattered human habitations. 

the angels] Probably bringing him food. Matthew records the ministry 
of angels at the close, as to a Heavenly Prince (Matt, iv, 11). Mark records 
a ministry of the same celestial visitants apparently throughout the trial. 

Practical Suggestions. — " Baptism, without faith, saves no one ; let a 
man be baptized by immersion or sprinkling, in his infancy or in his adult 
age : if he be not led to put his trust in Jesus Christ — if he remaineth an 
unbeliever, then this terrible doom is pronounced upon him : ' He that be- 
lieveth not shall be damned.' " — Spurgeon. Christ baptizes his people with 
the Holy Spirit. Great spiritual enjoyments are often followed by great 
trials. Angels are interested in the trials and sorrows of the Saints. ' ' But 
then I sigh : and, with a piece of scripture, tell them that God bids us do 
good for evil." — Shakspeare. "Thou shalt be sure to be assaulted by 
Satan when thou hast received the greatest enlargements from heaven... This 
arch-pirate lets the empty ships pass, but lays wait for them when they return 
richest laden." — Achb. Leighton, 



30 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark 1, 14-167 



Authobized Version. 

14 Now after that John was put in prison, 
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel 
of the kingdom of God, 

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the 
kingdom of God is at hand : repent ye and be- 
lieve the gospel. 

16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he 



Revised Version. 

14 Now after that John was delivered up, 
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel 

15 of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and 
the kingdom of God is at hand •. repent ye, 
and believe in the gospel. 

16 And passing along by the sea of Galilee, 



14^20. Jesus Begins His Ministry and Calls Four Disciples. 
Between the events just described and those on which the Evangelist now 
enters, came several recorded chiefly by John ; viz., (1) The testimony of 
the Baptist to Christ (John i, 19-34) ; (2) the following of Andrew, John, 
Simon, Philip and Nathanael (John i, 35-51) : (3) the marriage at Cana 
(John ii, 1-11) ; (4) the first visit to Jerusalem, first cleansing of the Tem- 
ple and visit of Nicodemus (John ii, 13—21 ; iii, 1—21) ; (5) the ministry 
with the Baptist (John iii, 22-36) ; (6) the imprisonment of the Baptist 
(Luke iii, 19, 20) ; (7) the return of Jesus to Galilee through Samaria, the 
discourse with the woman at the well (John iv, 3-42) ; (8) cure of the noble- 
man' s son at Cana (John iv, 43-54). 

14. put in prison] or delivered up The imprisonment of the Baptist is 
more fully related by the Evangelist, chapter vi, 17-20. 

came into Galilee] Galilee was the most northern and the most populous 
of the three provinces into which the Komans had divided Palestine. It 
was small in extent, about twenty-seven miles from east to west, and fifty 
miles from north to south; but rich in products of wheat, wine and oil, 
and teeming with a busy population engaged in agriculture, woolen manu- 
factures, dyeing, weaving linen, and in producing earthenware famous for 
its character. The Rabbis, in their Oriental language, say that one waded in 
oil in Galilee. 

15. the time'] The appointed time of the Messiah. " However much the 
Jews misunderstood many other prophecies, the time and place of Christ's 
appearance seem to have been well apprehended." — Campbell. 

the kingdom of God] Or, as it is called in Matthew iii, 2, the Kingdom of 
heaven (comp. Dan. ii, 44 ; vii, 13, 14, 27), is the Kingdom of grace. 

repent... believe] To repent includes sorrow for sin, renouncing it and seek- 
ing forgiveness. Wiclif renders, do penance; Tyndale, repent; Genevan 
version, amend your lives ; Rhemish, be penitent; Coverdale, amend your- 
selves. The word implies a radical change of heart — a complete change of 
mind. Believe, or rely upon the gospel as the way of salvation. 

16. as he walked] Jesus had come down (Luke iv, 31 ; John iv, 47, 51) 
from the high country of Galilee to Capernaum, "his own city" (Matt, iv, 
13 ; Luke iv, 31). 

the sea of Galilee] Called (1) "the sea of Chinnereth" or " Cinneroth" 
(Num. xxxiv, 11 ; Josh, xii, 3), from a town of that name on or near its 
shore (Josh, xix, 35) ; (2) "the sea of Galilee," from the province which 
bordered on its western side (Matt, iv, 18 ; Mark vii, 31) ; (3) "the Lake of 
Gennesaret" (Luke v, 1) ; (4) "the Sea of Tiberias" ( John xxi, 1), and 
sometimes (5) simply " the Sea " (Matt, iv, 15). It was pear-shaped, six 
and three-quarters by twelve miles in extent, 600 feet below the Mediterra- 
nean, and, in Christ's day, its western shore was thickly dotted with villages, 
and the hills and plains were covered with oaks, cypresses, figs, cedars, cit- 
rons, olives, myrtles and balsams. The landscape, now barren, was then a 
splendid garden. See Josephus, Bell. Jud. iii, 10. The eastern shore had 
towns at every opening in the basaltic hills. The lake, depressed below the 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



31 




synagogue at meibon. (After Photograph, Palestine Fund.) 




sea of galtlee, EEOM TiBEBiAS. (After Original Photograph.) 



32 



people's commentary 



[Mark. 1, 16-19. 



Authorized Version. 
saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a 
net into the sea ; for they were fishers. 

17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after 
me, and I will make you to become fishers of 
men. 

18 And straightway they forsook their nets, 
and followed him. 

19 And when he had gone a little further 
thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and 



Revised Version. 
he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of 
Simon casting a net in the sea: for they were 

17 fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come 
ye after me, and I will make you to become 

18 fishers of men. And straightway they left 

19 the nets, and followed him. And going on a 
little further, he saw James the son of Zebe- 
dee, and John his brother, who also were in 



sea level, and surrounded by high hills, cut by deep ravines, was subject to 
sudden and dangerous storms, as it is to this day. It still abounds in fish. 

he saw Simon] Greek 
form of Simeon, a He- 
brew name. Jesus had 
before met Sim on( John 
i, 40-42). The recent 
cure of the son of the 
officer in Herod's court 
had roused much inter- 
est at Capernaum, and 
many pressed upon the 
Saviour (Luke v, 1). 
Four of the number 
afterward known as 
"the Twelve" were 
now called to become 
" fishers of men." 

The words of Jesus 
have a peculiar fitness, 
when he has just shown 
them (Luke v, 6) what 
successful fishers of the 
sea he could make 
them. 

m a net] An expres- 
sive phrase in Greek, 
throwing around. The 
net here and in Matt. 
iv, 18, was a casting - 
net, circular in shape, 
" like the top of a 
tent ;" in Latin, funda 
or jaculum. The net 
in Matt, xiii, 47, 48, 
is the drag-net or haul- 

-Palestine Exploration Fund. • . *l-i -n Y> \ 

* • ing-net, the English 

seine or sean, sometimes half a mile in length ; that in Luke v, 4-9 is the bag- 
net or basket-net, so constructed and worked as to enclose the fish out in deep 
water. 

18. forsook their nets'] Instantaneous obedience ; leaving their vocation 
and entering upon the new one for life. A test of true discipieship. 

19. James... of Zebedee and John] Two pairs of brothers were called at 
the same time. "James and John were the sons of one Zobdai, and we 
know, from a comparison of texts, that their mother was Salome, so honor- 
ably mentioned in the gospels." — Geikie. The word rendered ship or boat 
means any small craft or vessel, moved by sails and oars, such as fishing 




SKETCH MAP OF THE SEA OF GALILEE. 



Mark I, 20-22.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



33 



Revised Version. 

20 the boat mending the nets. And straight- 
way he called them : and they left their 
father Zebedee in the boat with the hired 
servants, and went after him. 

21 And they go into Caperuauni ; and straight- 
way on the sabbath day he entered into the 

22 synagogue and taught. And they were as- 
tonished at his teaching : for he taught them 
as having authority, and not as the scribes. 



Authorized Version. 
John his brother, who also were in the ship 
mending their nets. 

20 And straightway he called them : and they 
left their father Zebedee in the ship with the 
hired servants, and went after him. 

21 And they went into Capernaum; and 
straightway on the sabbath day he entered into 
the synagogue, and taught. 

22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: 
for he taught them as one that had authority, 
and not as the scribes. 

smacks. Tyndale introduced the translation ship ; Wiclif has the more correct 
term boat. The casual expression "mending their nets" is explained by 
Luke, who tells us of the miraculous draught of fishes which had broken 
them. "This is one of the undesigned coincidences which show the truth 
at the bottom of both narratives." — Whedon. 

the hired servants} The mention of these, and of the two vessels employed 
(Luke v, 7), indicate that Zebedee, if not a wealthy man, was, at any rate, of 
some position at Capernaum. He was not dependent on his sons, and could 
spare them for a more important work. 

went after him} They went away after him. For the miraculous draught 
of fishes which accompanied or followed this incident see Luke v, 2-11. 
Gradually the four had been called to their new work ; (1) they were disci- 
ples of the Baptist (John i, 35) ; (2) they were directed by him to the Lamb 
of God (John i, 36) ; (3) they were invited by our Lord to see where he 
dwelt (John i, 39) ; (4) they became witnesses of his first miracle (John ii, 
2) ; (5) now they are enrolled among his attached followers. The more 
formal call was yet to come. 

Practical Thoughts. — " Jesus, in the silent conflicts of the wilderness, 
prepares for the open conflicts of life." — Lange. Repenting and believing 
in Christ must go together. " The Lord's fishermen actually catch the fish ; 
the world's fishermen swim with the fish." — Gossner. Follow Jesus at 
any cost, and do it promptly. True repentance and faith are necessary to 
enter the kingdom of God. "Don't fight the devil on his own ground; 
choose the ground of Christ's righteousness and atonement, and then fight 
him." — A. Alexander. 

21-28. The Cure of the Demoniac at Capernaum, A. D. 28. 

21. Capernaum] Not mentioned in the Old Testament or the Apocrypha. 
It was situated on the northwest shore of the Lake, in "the land of Gennes- 
aret " (Matt, xiv, 34; John vi, 17, 24), and was called " a city " (Matt, ix, 
1). It had a customs station (Matt, ix, 9; Luke v, 27), and a detachment 
of Roman soldiers (Matt, viii, 8; Luke vii, 1, 8). It was noted as the 
scene of many remarkable events. At Capernaum the Lord wrought the 
miracle on the centurion's servant (Matt, viii, 5) ; healed Simon's wife's 
mother (Matt, viii, 14) ; cured the paralytic (Matt, ix, 2); called Levi from 
the toll house (Matt, ix, 9) ; taught his Apostles the lesson of humility (Mark 
ix, 35-37), and delivered the wonderful discourse on the " Bread of Life " 
(John vi, 59). The site of Capernaum is yet undetermined, strikingly illus- 
trating the prediction of Jesus. Some locate the city at Tell Hum, about 
five miles southwest from the Jordan, and where the ruins of a synagogue 
have been discovered; perhaps the one built by the centurion, and in which 
Jesus preached. Others place it at Khan Minyeh, two or three miles south* 
west of Tell Hum. See Schaff's Diet, of the Bible. 

the synagogue] " The synagogue," implying that it was the only one, see v. 
23 " their synagogue :" it was built for the Jews by the centurion (Luke vii. 5). 

22. not as the scribes] The Scribes, Sopherim, first came into promi- 



34 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark. I, 23-25. 



Revised Version. 

23 And straightway there was in their syna- 
gogue a man with an unclean spirit ; and he 

24 cried out, saying, What have we to do with 
thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou 
come to destroy us? I know thee who thou 

25 art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus re- 
buked 1 him, saying, Hold thy peace, and 

26 come out of him. And the unclean spirit, 



Authorized Version. 

23 And there was in their synagogue a man 
with an unclean spirit ; and he cried out, 

24 Saying, Let us alone ; what have we to do 
with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? art thou 
come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, 
the Holy One of God. 

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy 
peace, and come out of him. 

1 Or, it. 

nence in the time of Ezra (Ezra, vii, 11, 12). Their duty was to copy, 
read, study, explain, and a fence round " the law with " the tradition of the 
elders" (Matt. xv. 2). The Scribes proper only lasted till the death of 
Simon " the Just," b. c. 300. In the New Testament they are sometimes 
called "lawyers" (Matt, xxii, 35), or "doctors (i.e. teachers) of the law" 
(Lukev, 17). Their teaching was preeminently secondhand. They simply 
repeated the decisions of previous Rabbis. But our Lord's teaching was 
absolute and independent. His formula was not " It hath been said," but 
" I say unto you." — Maclear. This does not mean that Jesus taught in a 
dogmatic manner, nor " powerfully," as Luther explains it, but with an 
authority belonging to the law-maker. "The distinction is not merely 
between traditional and textual instruction, but between two methods of the 
latter." — Alexander. " They [Rabbis] delivered, painfully, what they had 
learned like children, over-laying every address with citations in fear of 
saying a word of their own ; but the teaching of Christ was the free expres- 
sion of his own thoughts and feelings, and this, with the weight of the 
teaching itself, gave him power over the hearts of his audience." — Geikie. 

23. with an unclean spirit] Wiclif renders it " in an unclean spirit," 
that is, in his power, under his influence. Luke describes him as having 
a" spirit of an unclean devil " (Luke iv, 33). He cried out, thus indicat- 
ing the presence of a foreign influence or agent ; and that this was a real 
agent, and not a mere disease. 

24. saying] Many MSS. omit the Greek word translated "let us alone." 
Even if genuine, it appears to be rather an exclamation of horror = the Latin 
vah 1 heu 1 It is not the man who cries out, so much as the Evil Spirit 
which had usurped dominion over him. — Maclear. 

Jesus of Nazareth] The evil spirits instantly recognize him, but with 
cries of despair. "Demoniacs knew what madmen, insane persons, epilep- 
tics could not know, that Jesus was the Son of God." — John. 

"It is a solemn and sorrowful thought, that. ..some professing Christians 
have even less faith than the devil.... It is one thing to say, ' Christ is a 
Saviour ; ' it is quite another to say, ■ He is my Saviour and my Lord.' The 
devil can say the first. The true Christian alone can say the second." — 
Ryle. 

destroy us] "Not the demon and the man together, for the latter was to 
be set free by the expulsion of the former, but ' us,' the seed of the serpent 
...the devil and his angels." — Alexander. " Dost thou think it enough to 
know and believe that Christ lived and died for sinners ? The devil and his 
angels believe as much. Labor to outstrip them and to get a better faith. " 
—Fetter, 1661. 

the Holy One of God] " The unholy, which is resolved to be unholy still, 
understands well that its death knell has sounded when the Holy One of God 
(Comp. Ps. xvi, 10, where this title first appears) has come to make war 
against it. — Trench. 

25. Hold thy peace] Lit. Be muzzled. The same word is used by our 
Lord in rebuking the storm on the Lake, "Peace, be still" (Mark iv, 39). 



Mask 1, 26-30.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 35 

Authorized Version. | Kevised Version. 

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, I Hearing him and crying with a loud voice, 
and cried with a loud voice, he came out of 27 came out of him. And they were all 
him. amazed, insomuch that they questioned 

27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that j among themselves, saying, "What is this? 
they questioned among themselves, saying, a new teaching! with authority he com- 
What thing is this? what new doctrine is this ? mandeth even the unclean spirits, and they 
for with authority commandeth he even the un- 128 obey him. And the report of him Avent out 
clean spirits, and they do obey him. straightway everywhere into all the region 

28 And immediately his fame spread abroad I of Galilee round about. 

throughout all the region round about Galilee. 29 And straightway, 2 when they were come 

29 And forthwith, when they were come out i out of the synagogue, they came into the 
of the synagogue, they entered into the house house of Simon and Andrew, with James 
of Sim >n and Andrew, with James and John. 30 and John. Now, Simon's wife's mother 

30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a lay sick of a fever ; and straightway they 
fever, and anon they tell him of her. I 

1 0r, convulsing. 2 Some ancient authorities read wlien he ivas come out of the sy)iagogue, he 
tame. 

Wiclif translates it "wexe doumbe." "Christ will not be named and 
praised by devils.... Oh, that ministers would so reply when devils offer them 
nattering testimony ! " — Stier. 

26. had torn him] or, tearing him, as in R. V. A strong expression 
for convulsions, so the Syriac, Persian and Ethiopic versions imply. Accord- 
ing to Luke's account, he was thrown in themidst (Luke iv, 35), comp. Mark 
ix,' 26. The first miracle recorded by Matt, is the healing of a leper by a 
touch (Matt, viii, 1-4); the first miracle which John records is the changing 
water into wine (John ii, 1-11) ; the first miracle recorded by Mark and 
Luke (iv, 33-37) is this casting out of a demon in the synagogue of Caper- 
naum. 

27. new doctrine] The people connected the teaching with the power 
over evil spirits ; the latter attesting the truth of the former. 

Practical Thoughts. — Mark the contrast between the state of fallen 
men and fallen angels. " The great truth, Jesus is the Son of God, was not 
spoiled because once again proclaimed by devils." — Pres. Edwards. "He 
who would fight the devil with his own weapon, must not wonder if he finds 
him an overmatch." — South. " Fame is like a river, that beareth up things 
light and swollen, and drowns things weighty and solid." — Bacon. " If the 
devil must give way, yet he rages fearfully." — Osiander. 
29-34. The Cure of Peter's Wife's Mother and Others, A. D. 28. 

29. they~\ See marginal reading R. V. The reading "they" refers to the 
Lord and the four disciples, whom he had already called, and the sense is 
nearly the same. It was a sabbath day, and he probably went to Peter's 
house to eat bread. Comp. Luke xiv, 1. "In his house Jesus henceforth 
found a home, as. perhaps, he had done on his former short stay." — Geikie. 

30. Simon's wife's mother'] We thus learn incidentally that Peter was 
married. For Paul's allusion to him and the other apostles as married men 
see 1 Cor. ix, 5. It is hard to reconcile these texts with the celibacy of the 
clergy required by the Romish church. To an ordinary reader it seems 
plain that forbidding ministers to marry is utterly opposed to the scripture. 
Clement of Alexandria, asserts positively that Peter had children, and 
describes the martyrdom of Peter's wife. 

sick of a fever] A ' ' great " or " violent fever ' ' according to the physi- 
cian Luke. Intermittent fever and dysentery are ordinary Syrian diseases. 

tell him] " The days of darkness in a man's life are many. ..It needs no 
prophet's eye to foresee that we shall shed many a tear, and feel many a 
heart wrench, before we die. Let us know what to do when sickness, or 
bereavement, or cross, or loss, or disappointment, break in upon us like an 
armed man.... Let us at once ' tell Jesus.' " — Byle. 



36 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark I, 31-35. 



Eevised Version. 

31 tell him of her : and he came and took her 
by the hand, and raised her up; and the 
fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 

32 And at even, when the sun did set, they 
brought unto him all that were sick, and 

33 them that were possessed with devils. And 
all the city was gathered together at the < 

34 door. And he healed many that were sick < 
with divers diseases, and cast out many 
2 devils ; and he suffered not the 2 devils to 
speak, because tbey knew him2. 

35 And in the morning, a great while before 
day, he rose up and went out, and departed 

36 into a desert place, and there prayed. And 



Authorized Version. 

31 And he came and took her by the hand, 
and lifted her up ; and immediately the fever 
left her, and she ministered unto them. 

32 And at even, when the sun did set, they 
brought unto him all that were diseased, and 
them that were possessed with devils. 

33 And all the city was gathered together at 
the door. 

34 And he healed many that were sick of 
divers diseases, and cast out many devils ; and 
suffered not the devils to speak, because they 
knew him. 

35 And in the morning, rising up a great while 
before day, he went out, and departed into a 
solitary place, and there prayed. 

1 Or, demoniacs. 2 Gr. demons. 3 Many ancient authorities add to be Christ. See Luke iv, 41. 

31. he came] Notice the graphic touches: the Lord (1) went to the 
sufferer, (2) took her by the hand, (3) lifted her up, and (4) rebuked the 
fever (Luke iv, 39), it left her, and (5) she ministered unto them. 

32. when the sun did set] The sabbath ended at sunset. All three 
Evangelists carefully record that it was not till then that these sick were 
brought to Jesus. The reason of this probably was (1) either that they 
waited till the mid- day heat was passed, and the cool of the evening was 
come, or (2) the day being the sabbath (Marki, 29-32), they were unwilling 
to violate the sacred rest of the day, and so waited till it was ended. It is a 
great but common error to suppose that Jesus performed only a few mira- 
cles. After giving two particular cases the Evangelist then adds a state- 
ment (verse 34), which implies that a large number were miraculously 
healed on the same day. 

33. at the door] of Peter's house. "Forthwith began to gather from 
every street, and from thickly sown towns and villages round, the strangest 
assemblage. The child led its blind father as near the enclosure of Simon's 
house as the throng permitted ; the father came carrying the sick child ; 
men bore the helpless in swinging hammocks ; all that had any sick brought 
them.... Fevers, convulsions, asthma, consumption, swelling dropsy, shaking 
palsy, the deaf, the dumb, the brain-affected, and 'possessed with devils,' 
that last and worst symptom of despairing misery and dark confusion of the 
times." — Geikie. 

34. devils to speak] u It is not the office of the devil to preach the gos- 
pel, otherwise Christ might seem to have something in common with Satan ; 
who is never more to be feared by us than when he transforms himself into 
an angel of light." — Beza. 

35-39. Solitary 

35. It is often recorded of Jesus that he prayed, as at his baptism, his 
transfiguration, choosing his disciples, when the people would have made 
him king, John vi, 15, Matt, xiv, 33, and in Gethsemane. A praying master 
should have no prayerless servants. Ministers and teachers should be much 
in prayer. u They used to reckon how many hours they spent in reading 
and study. It were far better if more time were spent in prayer. Luther 
spending three hours daily in secret prayer, and Bradford studying on his 
knees, and other instances, are talked of rather than imitated." — Traill, 
1696. 

solitary place] " A remarkable feature of the Lake of Gennesaret was that 
it was closely surrounded with desert solitudes. These ' desert places ' thus 
close at hand on the table-lands or in the ravines of the eastern and western 
ranges, gave opportunities of retirement for rest or prayer. Rising up early 
in the morning, while it was yet dark, or passing over to the other side in a 



I, 36-40.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OP MARK. 



37 



Authorized Yebsion. 

36 And Simon and they that were with him j 
followed after him. 

37 And when they had found him, they said I 
unto him, All men seek for thee. 

38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the 



Revised Version. 
Simon and they that were with him followed 

37 after him ; and they found him, and say unto 

38 him, All are seeking thee. And he saith 
unto them, Let us go elsewhere into the next 
towns, that I may preach there also ; for to 



next towns, that I may preach there also: for 39 this end came I forth. And he went into 



their synagogues throughout all Galilee, 
preaching and casting out devils. 
And there cometh to him a leper, beseech- 



therefore came I forth. 

39 And he preached in their synagogues 
throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. 

40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching I 
*Gr. demons. 

boat, he sought these solitudes, sometimes alone, sometimes with his disci- 
ples." — Stanley. 

36. Simon] In whose house Jesus lodged ; Simon missed him, and, 
doubtless, informed the others. 

followed after him] hunted him. The Greek word is very expressive, 
and only occurs here. It denotes (1) to follow hard upon, (2) to pursue 
closely, to track out. It is used by Xenophon to describe the pursuit of an 
enemy in war. It occurs in a good sense in the LXX rendering of Ps. xxiii, 
6, "Thy mercy shall follow me." 

38. towns'] Rather village-towns of country-towns. " The original dis- 
tinguishes between villages which had a synagogue, those which had none, 
and walled towns." — Lightfoot. He was not to be confined to Capernaum. 
Dalmanutha, Magdala, Bethsaida, Chorazin, were all near at hand. For 
this he came, not from Simon's house, as some explain the "last clause of v. 
38, but into the world. 

39. all Galilee] This was the first of a series of circuits which were made 
for the purpose of preaching. This circuit was begun when the harvest was 
ripening, and the heat at noon oppressive, making traveling comfortable 
mornings and evenings only. See Map of Journeyings. 

Practical Suggestions. — " Satan and Satan's emissaries can speak the 
truth when it will serve an evil end." — Schaff. "The dwelling of a poor 
fisherman pleases Christ more than a great palace. There are always 
wretched ones in this vale of tears, who stand in need of the help of the most 
High." — Quesnel. "Christ should be our first resort in times of trouble." 
— Clarke. " Prayer with him seems to have been not only intimate commu- 
nion with his Father, but a necessary preparation for his ministry. How 
much more needful for us ! " — Schaff. 

10-45. Cleansing of a Leper, A. D. 28. 

40. a leper] Leprosy is common in 
Bible lands, and attacks not only the skin, 
but the blood, flesh, and bones ; the whole 
person is diseased. One form was incur- 
able, causing a dissolution, little by little, of 
the whole body, so that one limb after an- 
"\ other actually decayed and fell away. The 
S . Jews called it ' ' the finger of God ; ' ' they 
never expected to cure it (see 2 Kings v, 7). 
With lip covered, and bare head and rent gar- 
ments (Lev. xiii, 45), the leper bore about 
with him the emblems of mortality, "him- 
self a dreadful parable of death." " These 
four are counted dead," says the Talmud, 
"the blind, the leper, the poor, and the 
childless." Compare the cases of Moses 
(Ex. w, 6), Miriam (Num. xii, 10), Naaman (2 Kings v, 1), Gehazi (2 Kings 




38 



people's commentary 



[Mask 1, 41-45. 



Authorized Version. 
him, and kneeling down to him, and saying 
unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me 
clean. 

41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put 
forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto 
him, I will ; be thou clean. 

42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately 
the leprosy departed from him, and he was 
cleansed. 

43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith 
sent him away ; 

44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing 
to any man ; but go thy way, shew thyself to 
the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those 
things which Moses commanded, for a testi- 
mony unto them. 

45 But he went out, and began to publish it 
much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch 



Revised Version. 
ing him, x and kneeling down to him, and 
saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst 

41 make me clean. And being moved with com- 
passion, he stretched forth his hand, and 
touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be 

42 thou made clean. And straightway the lep- 
rosy departed from him, and he was made 

43 clean. And he 2 strictly charged him, and 

44 straightway sent him out, and saith unto 
him, See thou say nothing to any man : but 
go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and 
offer for thy cleansing the things which 
Moses commanded, for a testimony unto 

45 them. But he went out and began to publish 
it much, and to spread abroad the 3 matter, 



1 Some ancient authorities omit and kneeling down to him. 2 Or, sternly s Gr. word. 

v, 27). It is used as a type of sin, the leprosy of the soul, from which no 
man is free, until made whole by the blood of Christ. 

kneeling down to him'] Not as an act of worship, but of entreaty. Mark 
alone describes this (see marginal note on these words in R. V.) as also the 
look of compassion from the Lord, spoken of in the next verse. 

41. / will] The words have point and brevity not brought out by either 
the A. V. or the R. V. "If thou wilt.... I will. Thou canst cleanse me.... Be 
thou cleansed." The Revised Version is correct in sense, but fails to show 
the verbal beauty given in the Greek. 

4:3. And he straitly charged him] The word thus rendered occurs in 
four other places ; (1) Matt, ix, 30, "Jesus straitly charged them," (2) 
Mark xiv, 5, " And they murmured against her," (3) John xi, 33, 38, " He 
groaned in the spirit." It signifies (1) strong grief or indignation, (2) to 
command with sternness. Comp. Gen. xliii, 7, " The man asked us straitly 
of our state ;" Josh, vi, 1, " Now Jericho was straitly shut up." Comp. 
also Shakspeare, Richard III, I, 1, 85, 86, 

" His majesty hath straitly given in charge 
That no man shall have private conference." 

44. shew thyself to the priest] This was the object of sending him away, 
that the priest might attest the reality of his cure (Lev. xiv. 3). 

which Moses commanded] viz. (1) two birds, "alive and clean," (2) cedar 
wood, (3) scarlet, and (4) hyssop (Lev. xiv, 4-7). On the eighth day further 
offerings were to be made : (1) two he lambs without blemish, (2) one ewe 
lamb without blemish, (3) three tenth deals of fine flour, (4) one log of oil 
(Lev. xiv, 10). If the leper was poor, he was permitted to offer one lamb 
and two turtle-doves or two young pigeons, with one tenth deal of fine flour 
(Lev. xiv, 21, 22). 

for a testimony unto them] Some render this " for a testimony against 
them ;" that is, against the priests, for not accepting Jesus as the Messiah ; 
others take the meaning to be " as proof to them that I comply with the 
law." It is more natural to regard the words as referring to the fact of the 
cleansing, which could only be publicly accepted after it was attested by the 
priest. i 

45. began to publish] Others in similar circumstances did not keep si- 
lence ; (1) the blind men, Matt, ix, 30, 31 ,• (2) the man with an impediment 
of speech, Mark vii, 36. 



Mark ti, 1-4.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK!. 



Authorized Version. 
that Jesus could no more openly enter into the 
city, but was without in desert places : and they 
came to him from every quarter. 

CHAP. II. — And again he entered into Caper- 
naum after some days ; and it was noised 
that he was in the house. 

2 And straightway many were gathered to- 
gether, insomuch that there was no room to re- 
ceive them, no, not so much as about the door: 
and he preached the word unto them. 

3 And they came Hnto him, bringing one sick 
of the palsy, which was borne of four. 

4 And when they could not come nigh unto 
him for the press, they uncovered the roof where 
he was : and when they had broken it up, they 
let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy 
lay. 



Revised Version. 
insomuch that 1 Jesus could no more openly 
enter into 2 a city, but was without in desert 
places: and they came to him from every 

I quarter. 

2 And when he entered again into Capernaum 
after some days, it was noised that he was 

2 in 3 the house. And many were gathered 
together, so that there was no longer room for 
them, no, not even about the door : and he 

3 spake the word unto them. And they come, 
bringing unto him a man sick of the pal- 

4 sy, borne of four. And when they could not 
4 come nigh unto him for the crowd, they un- 
covered the roof where he was: and when 
they had broken it up, they let down the bed 



iGr. 



! Or, the city. 3 Or, at home. * Many ancient authorities read bring him unto him. 



could no more openly enter into the city] This shows why the Lord en- 
joined silence on the leper. We may be silent in respect to the truth: "1. 
When the uttering of it may bring hurt to the truth itself. 2. When we are in 
the company of persons more likely to cavil and scoff at the truth than to make 
good use of it. 3. When in company of malicious enemies of the truth." — 
Fetter, 1661. "Unquestionably the majority of Christians are far more in- 
clined to be silent about their glorious Master, than to confess him.... There 
are good men who have more zeal than discretion, and help the enemy of 
truth by unseasonable acts and words." — Ryle. 

desert places] "The deserts mentioned in the Bible are uncultivated 
tracts of earth of two kinds: some mountainous, but not destitute of water ; 
others plains covered with sterile sands, in which fountains are very rare. 
The mountainous deserts are not of so dreary and unproductive a character." 
— John. 

Ch. II. 1-12. The Paralytic and the Power to Forgive Sins. 

1. _ the house] Some suppose this was his own house, as implied in the 
margin of the R. V., or that of his friends, Mark iii, 21, but it is more con- 
sistent to suppose that he made Peter's house his home. Comp. his reply to 
-Herod's messengers. 

2. about the door] The Greek phrase implies that all the avenues of 
approach to the house were blocked up, and the courtyard or vestibule was 
filled. 

3. borne of four] Notice the pictorial definiteness of the Evangelist. 

4. they uncovered the roof] The 
Greek word implies "digging through" 
the tiles, as Luke says, and perhaps the 
earth or plaster often placed above 
them. It was not the simple removal g§ 
of a parapet or awning, as some suggest. 
They appear (1) to have ascended to 
the flat roof, probably by a flight of §J 
steps outside (Luke v, 19) ; (2) to have 
broken through earth and the tiling or 
thin stone slabs ; (3) to have lowered 
the paralytic upon his bed through the 
opening. Bedsteads were not in use 

in Syria, and the explanation given Asiatic beds. 

in the Comprehensive Commentary is (From Fellows' Asia Minor.) 



le 1 

7Q I 




40 



people's commentary 



(Mark IX, 5-4, 



Authorized Version. 

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the 
sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 

6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting 
there, and reasoning in their hearts, 

7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies ? 
who can forgive sins but God only? 

8 And immediately, when Jesus perceived in 
his spirit that they so reasoned within them- 
selves, he said unto them Why reason ye these 
things in your hearts ? 

1 Gr. Child. 

absurd. 



Revised Version. 
whereon the sick of the palsy lay. And Jesus 
seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the 
palsy, 1 Son, thy sins are forgiven. But there 
were certain of the scribes sitting there, and 
reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man 
thus speak? he blasphemeth : who can for- 
give sins but one, even God? And straight- 
way Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they 
so reasoned within themselves, saith unto 
them, Why reason ye these things in your 




The room was either the court or, more probably, an upper cham- 
ber, which often extended 
over the whole area of the 
house. Comp. Acts i, 13 ; 
ix, 37 ; xx, 8. 

5. their faith] The 
faith of the paralytic him- 
self and those that bore 
him. Jesus did not reject 
this " charitable work " 
of theirs in bringing be- 
fore him the palsied man. 
Son] Or "child," for 
the Greek word is neuter, 
and used for persons of 
both sexes. Luke v, 20, 
gives the words thus : 
Man, thy sins are for- 
given thee." Mark has 
preserved to us the ten- 
derer word, as Matthew 
an eastern house top. d oes i n the case of the 

woman with the issue of blood (Matt, ix, 22). 

thy sins] Comp. the words of the Saviour to the man who had an infir- 
mity thirty and eight years : "sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto 
thee," John v, 14. So this man's consciousness of sin was such that 
it was necessary to speak to his souf before healing his body. See 
Luke vii, 48. But Jesus did elsewhere condemn the Jewish notion that all 
suffering was caused by some special sin. See John ix, 3 ; Luke xiii, 2-5. 

forgiven] " The Greek verb is ambiguous, and may be either a command 
or an affirmation, ' be forgiven,' 'are forgiven,' or, 'have been forgiven.' 
The-revisers adopt the second rendering. "How many in every age can 
testify that this palsied man's experience has been their own? They have 
learned wisdom by affliction. Bereavements have proved mercies. Losses 
have proved real gains. Sicknesses have led them to the Great Physician 
of souls." — Ryle. 

6. certain of the scribes] Some from Galilee and Judea, who had come 
to watch Jesus. 

7. blaspheme] Forgiveness was the direct act of God ; no human lips 
dared pronounce it... None would venture to declare it, except in the name 
of Jehovah, and by his authority. "The lofty words of Jesus.... sounded 
new, and to be new was to be dangerous." — Geikie. 

8. perceived] The knowledge "was supernatural, as is most carefully 
and precisely here signified." — Alford. 

in his spirit] This refers to his mind ; either his divine or his human 



Mark n, 9-13.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MA&K. 41 



Revised Version. 
9 hearts? Whether is easier, to say to the sick 



of the palsy, Thy sins are forgiven ; or to say, 
Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But 
that ye may know that the Son of man hath 
1 power on earth to forgive sins (he saith to 

11 the sick of the palsy), I say unto thee, Arise, 
take up thy bed, and go unto thy house. 

12 And he arose, and straightway took up the 
bed, and went forth before them all ; inso- 
much that they were all amazed, and glori- 
fied God, saying, We never saw it on this 
fashion. 

13 And he went forth again by the sea side ; 
and all the multitude resorted unto him, and 



Authorized Version. 

9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the 
palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, 
Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk ? 

10 But that ye may know that the :?on of man 
hath power on earth to forgive sins (he saith 
to the sick of the palsy), 

11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, 
and go thy way into thine house. 

12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, 
and went forth before them all ; insomuch that 
they were all amazed, and glorified God, say- 
ing, We never saw it on this fashion. 

13 And he went forth again by the sea side ; 
and all the multitude resorted unto him, and 
he taught them. 

1 Or, authority. 

nature. He perceived their thoughts " thoroughly," as the Greek implies. 

9. Whether is it easier'] A striking instance of the consummate wisdom of 
Jesus in refuting his enemies. Notice what is here contrasted. Not, 
" Which is easier to do?" but, "Which is easier to claim, this power or 
that ; to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and walk ? " 

10. that ye may know'] " By doing that which is capable of being put to 
the proof, I will vindicate my right and power to do that which, in its very 
nature, is incapable of being proved." If there was imposture it would be 
easier to detect it in respect to the healing than in respect to the forgiveness ; 
so Jesus would prove that his power was real in both cases. He had power, 
not delegated, but his own, as Messiah. Alexander states: "A mere 
declaratory absolution they could utter... but he spoke with authority and 
not as the scribes." 

Son of man] This is the first time this title occurs in Mark, where we find 
it 14 times. This title is never applied by the- writers of the Gospels them- 
selves to the Eternal Son of God. Whenever it occurs, it is so applied by 
our Lord. There are only three exceptions to this rule ; (1) where the title 
is used by Stephen (Acts vii, 56), and (2) by John (Rev. i, 13; xiv, 14). 
(See also Dan. vii, 13.) 

on earth] This power is not exercised, as ye think, only in heaven, by 
God,- but also by the Son of Man on earth. 

11. thy bed] The original word thus rendered means a portable pallet 
(so the American revisers render it here, and in verses 4, 9 and 12), and was 
little more than a mat, used for mid-day sleep and the service of the sick. 
It was of the commonest kind, and used by the poorest. (See Illustration 
p. 39.) 

_ 12. before them all] Now yielding before him and no longer blocking up 
his path. " He not only rises, but shows that he is fully restored, by taking 
up his couch." — Clarke. The miracle was an attestation of the divine au- 
thority of Jesus. 

Practical Suggestions.— We, like the city of Capernaum, may have 
great spiritual privileges, and make no use of them. Bodily afflictions may 
prove a blessing to the soul. " Christian love demands that we should serve 
and help the sick." — Starke. " Great faith discovers and adopts wonderful 
plans. " — Lange. " Christ, by his visible miracles, taught men to under- 
stand his invisible miracles." — Quesnel. We may bear our friends to Christ 
now, in the arms of faith and prayer. Has Jesus said to you, " Son, child, thy 
sins are forgiven ? ' ' 

13-22. Call of Levi; the Discourse at His House, A.D., 28. 

13. he went forth] i. e., from the town of Capernaum to the shore of 
the lake, probably through a suburb of fishers' huts and custom-houses. 



42 



people's commentary 



[Mark H, 14, 15. 



Authorized Version. 
14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son 



of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and 
said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and 
followed him. 

15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at 
meat in his house, many publicans and sinners 
sat also together with* Jesus and his disciples : 
for there were many, and they followed him. 
1 See marginal note Oil Matt, v, 46 ; which is, 

u 



Revised Version. 
14 he taught them. And as he passed by, h« 



Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the place 
of toll, and he saith unto him, Follow me. 

15 And he arose and followed him. And it 
came to pass, that he was sitting at meat in 
his house, and many 1 publicans and sinners 
sat down with Jesus and his disciples : for 
there were many, and they followed him. 

That is, collectors or renters of Roman taxes.'" 

Levi] The three gospel narratives clearly relate the same circum- 



stances in respect to Levi and Matthew, and hence the two names are gen- 
erally believed to refer to one person. He may have been first known by 
the name of Levi, then as Matthew, or Mattathias, a favorite name amongst 
the Jews after the Captivity, and meaning the same as Theodore, ' ' Gift of 
God." 

son of Alphceus] Some have identified this Alphaeus with Alphaeus the 
father of James the Less. But in the lists of the apostles the two are never 
named together, like other pairs of brothers in the apostolic body. 

sitting... receipt of custom] In Syria the people sit at all kinds of work. 
" The carpenter saws, planes, and hews with his adze, sitting on the ground 
or plank he is planing. The washerwoman sits by her tub.... Shopkeepers 
always sit ; and Levi sitting is the exact way to state the case." — Thomson. 
Situated, as Capernaum was, at the nucleus of roads which diverged to Tyre, 
Damascus, Jerusalem, and Sepphoris, it was a busy centre of merchandise, 
and a natural place for the collection of tribute and taxes. The collector 
may have been in a toll-booth, as Wiclif renders the word. 

Follow me] Though he belonged to a class above all others hated and 
despised by the Jews, yet the Lord did not hesitate to invite him to become 
one of the Twelve. And Levi did not hesitate to obey the call, though it 
was a great change in his life-work, as in his opinions. "No liberal man 
would impute a charge of unsteadiness to another for having changed his 
opinions. " — Cicero. 

15. sat at meat] Or 
"reclined" according to 
the Roman custom. Luke 
says that Matthew made 
" a great feast " in honor 
of his new Master, not in 
the "Lord's house," as 
Meyer interprets it, but in 
Levi's house. To it, per- 
haps by way of farewell, 
he invited many of his old 
associates. This shows 
that he had made large 
sacrifices in order to fol- 
low Christ ; see Neander's 

ROMAN TRICLINIUM, ILLUSTRATING JEWISH METHOD OF EATING. Life of ChHst. 

publicans and sinners] The publicans or tax gatherers under the Roman 
government were of two classes : (1) Persons who farmed the Roman taxes, 
and in later times were usually Roman knights and men of wealth and posi- 
tion, of whom Cicero thus wrote : " Publicani homines et honestissimi et 
ornatissimi." (2) Subordinate collectors, each of whom was required to pay 
a certain sum to his superior, with the privilege of raising as much more as 
he could for his own profit. These inferior collectors were natives of the 




Mark U, 16-18.] ON THE GOSPEL OP MAKE. 43 



Authorized Version. 

16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him 
eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto 
his disciples. How is it that he eateth and 
drink eth with publicans and sinners? 

17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, 
They that are whole have no need of the physi- 
cian, but they that are sick : I came not to call 
the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 

18 And the disciples of John and of the Phari- 
sees used to fast : and they come and say unto 
him, Why do the disciples of John and of the 
Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not ? 



Revised Version. 

13 And the scribes x of the Pharisees, when they 

saw that he was eating with the sinnera and 

publicans, said unto his disciples, 2 He eateth 

3 and drinketh with publicans and sinners. 

17 And when Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, 
They that are 4 whole have no need of a 
physician, but they that are sick : I came not 
to call the righteous, but sinners. 

18 And John's disciples and the Pharisees were 
fasting : and they come and say unto him, 
Why do John's disciples and the disciples of 
"the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 



1 Some ancient authorities read and the Pharisees. - Or, how is it that he eateth....sinners f 3 Some 
ancient authorities omit and drinketh. 4 Gr. strong. 

province where the taxes were collected, and were properly called portitores or 
exactores. So notorious were they for rapacity and dishonesty that Suetonius 
(Vit. Vesp. I.) tells us how several cities erected statues to Sabinius, "the 
honest publican ;" and Theocritus, in answer to the question, which were 
the worst kind of wild beasts, said, " On the mountains, bears and lions; 
in cities, publicans and pettifoggers." The Jews included them in the same 
category with harlots and sinners ; see Matt, xviii, 17 ; xxi, 31, 32. "They 
were nothing less than renegades and traitors, who, for filthy lucre's sake, had 
sided with the enemy, and now collected for a profane heathen treasury that 
tribute which was the evident sign of the subjection of God's people to a 
Gentile yoke. This scorn and hate found utterance in a thousand ways ; no 
alms might be received from their money chest ; it was not even lawful to 
change money there ; their testimony was not received in courts of justice ; 
they were as the heathen (to keep which in mind adds an emphasis to Luke 
xix, 9), and in some sort worse than the heathen." — Trench. "Matthew 
alone styles himself, in the list of the Apostles, as ' the publican.' " 

16. said unto his disciples] Overawed by the miracles he had wrought 
and the overthrow they had lately experienced at the healing of the paralytic, 
and not as yet venturing on any open rupture with him, they vent their dis- 
pleasure on his disciples. It is not likely that the Pharisees were present at 
the feast, or they would have involved themselves in the same blame. Proba 
ably they looked in while it was in progress, and afterwards came forward to 
the disciples coming out. — Maclew* 

17. not to call the righteous,} That is, the self-righteous, as the Pharisees 
were, or the sinless, or those complying fully with the law, as the Pharisees 
claimed they did. "I came not to call men, as unfallen, sinless beings, 
to repentance.... The distinction he draws is not between two classes of men, 
but between two characters or conditions of the whole race." — Alexander. 

18. the disciples of John] The contrast between their Master in prison 
and Jesus at the feast could not fail to be felt. 

used to fast] Moses enjoined only one fast, that of the great day of atone- 
ment (Lev. xvi, 29). Others were added later, as, those in the fourth, fifth, 
tentk and twelfth months (Jer. Hi, 6, 7, 12, 13 ; xli, 1, 2 ; lii, 4 ; Esth. ix, 
31. See also, Zech. vii, 5 ; viii, 19). The number of annual fasts have been 
increased in the present Jewish calendar to twenty-eight. The Jews were wont 
to fast on Thursday, because on that day Moses was said to have re-ascended 
Mount Sinai ; on Monday, because on that day he returned. The Pharisee 
said (Luke xviii, 12), "I fast twice in the week." Perhaps this feast took 
place on one of their weekly fasts. Fasting is of very early origin. ' ' Absti- 
nence which seemed imposed by Providence, if not in expiation for guilt, yet 
as an accompaniment of sorrow, easily became to be regarded as a religious 
duty." — Kitto. It was likewise, as we have seen, commanded by Jehovah 
in certain cases. 



44 



people's commentary 



[Mark II, 19-21 



Revised Version. 

19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the sons of 
the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom 
is with them ? as long as they have the bride- 

20 groom with them, they cannot fast. But the 
days will come, when the bridegroom shall be 
taken away from them, and then will they 

21 fust in that day. No man seweth a piece of 
undressed cloth on an old garment : else that 
which should fill it up taketh from it, the 
new from the old, and a worse rent is made. 

22 And no man putteth new wine into old 
1 wine-skins: else the wine will burst the 
skins, and the wine perisheth, and the skins : 
but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins. 



Authorized Version. 

19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the chil- 
dren of the bridechamber fast, while the bride- 
groom is with them? as long as fiey have the 
bridegroom w th them, they cannot fast. 

20 But the days will come, when the bride- 
groom shall be taken away from them, and then 
shall they fast in those days. 

21 JNo man also seweth a piece of new cloth on 
an old garment : else the new piece that filled it 
up taketh away from the old, and the rent is 
made worse. 

22 And no man putteth new wine into old 
bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bot- 
tles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will 
be marred : but new wine must be put into new 
bottles. 

1 That is, skins used as bottles. 

19. children of the bridechamber'] i. e., the friends and companions of 
the bridegroom, who accompanied him to the house of the bride for the 
marriage. Comp. Judges xiv, 11. The marriage feast lasted seven days. 

the bridegroom] He reminds the disciples of John of the image under 
which their Master had spoken of him as the bridegroom (John iii, 29). 

20. the days will come] at his death ; a dim hint of the same kind he had 
already given, when he said to the Jewish rulers, " Destroy this temple, and 
in three days I will raise it up " (John ii, 19), and in his conversation with 
Nicodemus (John iii, 14). The passage should read, " But days will come" 

taken away] The same word is used in three of the gospels, and implies a 
violent termination of his life. The word occurs nowhere else in the New 
Testament. 

22. new] " In religion, no less than in secular affairs, new emergencies 
require new means to meet them." — Alexander. Men do not pour new, or 
unfermented, wine into old and worn wine- skins. "My disciples," our 
Lord seems to say, " are not yet strong. They have not yet been baptized 
into the Spirit. They need tenderness and consideration. They could no 
more endure severe new doctrine, than an old robe could the insertion of a 
piece of new cloth, which had never passed through the hands of the fuller." 
Besides, " New teaching like his must be put into new bottles ; the forms 
and rites that had served until now were of no more use.... New forms were 
needed for the new religious life he came to introduce." — Geikie. 

bottles] "The manufacture of these skin bottles is very simple. The 
animal is skinned from the neck by simply cutting off the head and legs, and 
them drawing the skin back without making any 
[slit in the belly. The skins in this state, with 
the hair on, are then steeped in tannin, and filled 
with a decoction of bark for a few weeks.... They 
are then sewn up at the neck, the sutures being 
carefully pitched. They are then exposed to the 
sun, on the ground, for a few days, covered with 
a strong decoction of tannin and water, pumped 
on them from time to time, to keep them on the 
skin-bottles (Ayre). stretch till sufficiently saturated. Dry bottles 

crack. The hair on the skins preserves them from friction in traveling. An 
old skin is not able to bear the distention of new wine in the process offer- 
mentation, and would burst with it." — Tristram. 

Practical Suggestions — Christ can and will call men from the world 
into his service. Christ's chief work is to call sinners. His calls should be 







Make. H, 23-25.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 45 



Revised Version. 

23 And it came to pass, that he was going on 
the sabbath day through the cornfields ; and 
bis disciples 1 began, as they went, to pluck 

24 the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said 
unto him, Behold, why do they on the sab- 

25 bath day that which is not lawful? And he 
said unto theni, Did ye never read what 
David did, when he had need, and was an 
hungred, he, and they that were with him ? 



Authorized Version. 

23 And it came to p iss, that he went through 
the corn fields on the sal>bath day ; and his dis- 
ciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of 
corn. 

21 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, 
why do they on the sabbath day that which is 
not lawful ? 

25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read 
what David did, When he had need, and was an 
hungred, he, and they that were with him ? 
1 Gr. began to make their way plucking. 

obeyed at once. He is to be preferred to all others. Opposition may be 
helpful. "Kites rise against, not with the wind." — Neal. " Grace draws 
Matthew from love of gold, and makes of him an apostle ; the love of gold 
drew Judas away from Christ and his apostleship." In our social life we 
should have spiritual things in view. "Fasting is good; but to make a 
merit of it, or even to burden the conscience with it, is opposed to Christian 
freedom. " — Cramer. 

23-28. The Disciples Pluck the Ears of Corn, A.D., 28. 

23. on the sabbath day] A fourth charge against Jesus was that he 
broke the sabbath. Luke tells us that this was on the " second sabbath after 
the first''' i. e., either (1) the first Sabbath after the second day of unleavened 
bread ; or (2) the first Sabbath in the second year of a Sabbatical cycle ; or 
(3) the first Sabbath of the second month (Luke vi, 1). See Wieseler's 
Chronol. Synop. , p. 353 et seq. ' ' Probably about a month intervened between 
this and the last event." — Clarke. 

to pluck the ears of corn'] It was not maize or our Indian corn, which was 
then unknown ; but wheat. Matthew says that they were " an hungered " (Matt, 
xii, 1). The act described marks the season of the year. The wheat was ripe, 
for they would not have rubbed barley in their hands (Luke vi, 1). We may 
conclude, therefore, the time was a week or two after the Passover, when 
the first ripe sheaf was offered as the first fruits of the harvest. Thomson 
says : ''I have often seen my muleteers, as we passed along the wheat fields, 
pluck off ears, rub them in their hands, and eat the grains unroasted, just as 
the apostles are said to have done." 

24. that which is not lawful] They did not accuse them of theft, for the 
Law allowed what they were doing (Deut. xxiii, 25), but of profaning the 
Sabbath. The Law, of course, forbade reaping and threshing on that day, 
but the Rabbis had decided that even to pluck corn was to be construed as 
reaping, and to rub it as threshing. They even forbade walking on grass as 
a species of threshing, and would not allow so much as a fruit to be plucked 
from a tree on that day. See Lightfoot, Hor. Heb., in Matt, xii, 2. 

25. ye never read] With a gentle 
irony he adopts one of the favorite 
formulas of their own Rabbis, and in- 
quires if they had never read what 
David, their favorite hero, had done 
when flying from Saul. He came to 
the high priest at Nob, and entered 
the Tabernacle, and ate of the hal- 
lowed bread (1 Sam. xxi, 1-9), of 
the "twelve cakes of fine flour," 
which no stranger might eat. If 
David is justified in relaxing some of 
the strictness of God's laws, in case 
table of shew bbead. f necessity, much more may Christ, 

the head of the Church, do so in regard to the sabbath. 




46 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark 11,26-111,1 



Authorized Veesion. 

26 How he went into the house of God in the 
days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the 
shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for 
the priests, and gave also to them which were 
with him ? 

27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was 
made tor man, and not man for the sabbath : 

28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of 
the sabbath. 

CHAP. III.— And he entered again into the 
synagogue; and there was a man there 
which had a withered hand. 



Kevised Version. 

26 How he entered into the house of God 1 when 
Abiathar was high priest, and did eat the 
shewbread, which it is not lawful to eat save 
for the priests, and gave also to them that 

27 were with him? And he said unto them, 
The sabbath was made for man, and not man 

28 for the sabbath : so that the Son of man is 
lord even of the sabbath. 

3 And he entered again into the synagogue ; 

and there was a man there which had his hand 

2 withered. And they watched him, whether 



L Some ancient authorities read in the days of Abiathar the high priest. 



26 

xviii 



Abiathar] In 2 Sam. viii, 17, and the parallel passage, 1 Chron. 
, 16, we find Ahimelech or Abimelech substituted for Abiathar ; while in 



2 Sam. xx, 25, and in every other passage of the 0. T., Abiathar is named 
as priest with Zadok in David's reign, and that he was the son of Ahimelech. 
Several explanations of this difficulty have been suggested : 1. A clerical 
error in the text ; 2. That father and son had both names ; 3. That the son 
acted as High Priest at the same time with his father. The Persian version 
reads Ahimelech, instead of Abiathar. 

27. the sabbath] " According to Rabbinical authorities, it was forbidden 
to travel more than 2000 cubits on the sabbath, to kill the most offensive 
kinds of vermin, to write two letters of the alphabet, to use a wooden leg or 
a crutch, to carry a purse, or, for a woman, to carry a seal ring or a smelling 
bottle, to wear a high head dress or a false tooth. Amongst other restraints 
laid upon animals the fat-tailed sheep was not allowed to use the little truck 
on which the tail was borne, to save the animal from suffering. These are 
a portion of 39 prohibitions of the same kind." — Bible Com. Jesus opposed 
such traditionalism and fanaticism when he said, " The sabbath was made for 
man, and not man for the sabbath" — a great principle, says Schaff, "which 
must regulate the whole sabbath question, and settles both the permanent 
necessity of the sabbath for the temporal and eternal welfare of man, and 
the true Christian freedom in its observance." 

28. the Son of man is Lord] " As being himself the divine Rest and the 
divine Celebration ; he is both the principle and the object of the sabbath. 
He rests in God and God in him ; hence he is the mediator of proper sab- 
bath observance, and the interpreter of the sabbath law." — Lange. Jesus 
is Lord of the sabbath, " to own it, to interpret it, to preside over it and to 
ennoble it, by merging it in 'the Lord's day.' " 

Practical Suggestions. — "When Jesus thus, with his disciples, suffered 
them to be poor, we may learn that poverty is not disgraceful." — Barnes. 
The law of the sabbath is always to be construed in this light, as providing 
for man's highest welfare." — Jacobus. "The sabbath is an institution meant 
for human benefit," but Jesus " says not a word to justify the notion that 
Christians need not remember the day to keep it holy." " National pros- 
perity and personal growth in grace are intimately bound up in the main- 
tenance of the holy Sabbath." — Ryle. We are "to observe the sabbath 
in such a way that our temporal and spiritual welfare is thereby furthered." 
—Schaff. 

Ch. III. 1-12. The Withered Hand, and Withdrawal of Jesus. 

1. And he entered] Mark is peculiarly vivid and pictorial. The incident 
occurred at Capernaum, and probably on the next sabbath after plucking the 
ears of grain. See Luke vi, 6. 

hand withered] Luke says his ' ' right hand. ' ' Withered or ' * dried up, ' ' as 



Mark III, 2-6.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



47 



Revised Version. 
he would heal him on the sabbath day ; that 

3 they might accuse him. And he saith unto 
the man that had his hand withered, 1 Stand 

4 forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful 
on the sabbath day to do good, or to do harm ? 
to save a life, or to kill ? But they held their 

5 peace. And when he had looked round about 
on them with anger, being grieved at the 
hardening of their heart, he saith unto the 
man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched 

6 it fortb : and his hand was restored. And the 
Pharisees went out, and straightway with the 



Authorized Version. 

2 And they watched him, whether he would 
heal him on the sabbath day ; that they might 
accuse him. 

3 And he saith unto the man which had the 
withered hand, Stand forth. 

4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do 
good on the sabbath days, or to do evil ? to save 
life, or to kill » But they held their peace. 

5 And when he had looked round about on 
them with anger, being grieved for the hardness 
of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch 
forth thine hand. And he stretched it out : and 
his hand was restored whole as the other. 

6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straight- 

1 Gr. Arise into the rnidst. 

the original implies, and the effect of disease or a wound. Such cases were 
incurable. Comp. 1 Kings xiii, 4, for the case of Jeroboam. 

2. they watched him] The original word for " watched " signifies strata- 
gem and hostility; comp. Luke xx, 20, "And they watched him and sent 
forth spies ;" Acts ix, 24, " And they watched the gates day and night to 
kill him." They intended to accuse Jesus before the Jewish rulers. 

4. he saith] It would seem that the Pharisees first asked him, "Is it 
lawful to heal on the sabbath days ? " (Matt, xii, 10). This question he 
answered, as was his wont (Matt, xxi, 24), by a counter- question : I also will 
ask you one thing. Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do 
evil? to save life, or to destroy it? " One of their own most approved 
maxims was, that he who neglected to preserve life, when it was in his 
power, was a murderer." — A. Clarke. 

But they held their peace] Mark alone mentions this striking circumstance, 
as also what we read in the next verse. 

5. with anger] He " looked round 11 upon them, surveyed each face with 
grief and anger. " By this word anger and grieved, it is signified that Christ 
was offended at their wickedness ; yet. so that he also pitied their misery." 
— Beza. We owe to Mark this passing shadow over the countenance of our 
Lord, with whom grief for the sinner ever accompanied anger against the 
sin. 

hardness] The word thus rendered denotes (1) the process by which the 
extremities of fractured bones are reunited by a callus ; then (2) callousness, 
hardness. Paul uses the word in Rom. xi, 25, which there reads " blind- 
ness." 

restored whole as the other] Without the employment of any external 
means. This miracle forms one of seven wrought on the Sabbath day. The 
other six were, fl) The demoniac at Capernaum (Mark i, 21) ; (2) Simon's 
wife's mother (Mark 1, 29) ; (3) the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda 
(John v, 9) ; (4) the woman with a spirit of infirmity (Luke xiii, 14) ; (5) 
the man who had the dropsy (Luke xiv, 1) ; (6) the man born blind (John 
ix, 14). — Camb. Bible. " Jesns chose to do many of his miracles on the 
Sabbath, that he might do the work of abrogation and institution both at 
once. — Jeremy Taylor. 

6. And the Pharisees went forth] The Scribes and Pharisees were " filled 
with madness, 11 and held a consultation, i. e., & formal assembly. The 
Saviour had not merely broken their traditions, but had put them to silence 
before all the people. In their blind hate they joined the Herodians, the 
court party, and their political opponents, in taking counsel how they might 
put him to death, 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark III, 7, 8 S 



Revised Version. 
Herodians took counsel against him, how they 
might destroy him. 

7 And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to 
the sea : and a great multitude from Galilee 
followed : and from Judaea, and from Jerusa- 

8 lem, and from Idumaea, and beyond Jordan, 



Authorized Version. 
way took counsel with the Herodians against 
him, how they might destroy him. 

7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disci- 
ples to the sea: and a great multitude from 
Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, 

8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and 
from beyond Jordan ; and they about Tyre and 

the Herodians'] As the partisans of Marius .were called u Mariani," of 
Pompeius " Pompeiani," of Otho^i' Othoniani," so the partisans of Herod 
and who " were such Jews as favored Herod Antipas, and thus, outwardly at 
least, were friends of Rome, whose vassal Antipas was," were called 
'' Herodiani." The sect was rather a political than a religious body; its 
object being to gain for Antipas, as a son of Herod, the kingdom of Judea 
and Samaria, which had been made a Roman procuratorship. Accordingly 
there was enmity between him and his family on the one hand, against the procu- 
rators on the other, Luke xxiii, 12. As the annexation to Rome had dis- 
appointed the hopes of many, they looked with fear on the Herodian family, 
who were Idumaeans, who again regarded Jesus as their enemy, because his 
mission was to set up, as they thought, a temporal kingdom. This alliance 
between the Pharisees and the Herodians against Jesus was the first step to 
the union between them in their anti-Roman schemes, though the latter held 
Sadducean opinions, and believed that the hopes of the Jewish nation rested 
on the Herods, against Roman ambition, and almost looked to them for a 
fulfillment of the prophecies respecting the advent of the Messiah. ' ' Between 
lie and lie there are always points of contact, so that they can act together 
for a while ; it is only between a lie and the truth that there is absolute 
opposition, and no compromise possible." 

7. a great multitude] These multitudes were from (1) Tyre and Sidon 
and Galilee; (2) Judaea and Jerusalem in the centre; (3) Persea " beyond 
Jordan ' ' on the East, (4) Idumaea in the extreme South. Tyre, meaning rock, 
and Sidon, meaning fishery (see illustrations, pp. 49, 54) : such were the two 
" mother " cities of Phoenicia, on the Mediterranean Sea. They were proba- 
bly the oldest cities in that region, and are still representee! by the modern 
towns of Sur and Saida. Sidon or Saida is about 20 miles north of Tyre. 

8. Idumcea] A Greek name for Edom, which lay southeast of Palestine, 




the approach to edom from the east (After a Photograph by Frith), 



50 



people's commentary 



[Mark III, 9-13. 



Revised Version. 

and about T>. j and Sidon, a great multitude, 

hearing 1 vvhat great things he did, came unto 

9 him. And he spake to his disciples, that a 

little boat should wait on him because of the 

10 crowd, lest they should throng him: for he 
had healed many ; insomuch that as many 
as had 2 plagues 3 pressed upon him that they 

11 might touch him. And the unclean spirits, 
whensoever they beheld him, fell down be- 
fore him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son 

12 of God. And he charged them much that 
they should not make him known. 

13 And he goeth up into the mountain, and 
calleth unto him whom he himself would: 



Authorized Version. 
Sidon, a great multitude, when they had beard 
what great things he did, came unto him. 

9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small 
ship should wait on him because of the multi- 
tude, lest they should throng him. 

10 For he had healed many; insomuch that 
they pressed xipon him for to touch him, as 
many as had plagues. 

11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, 
fell down before him, and cried ,saying, Thou 
art the Son of God. 

12 And he straitly charged them that they 
should not make him known. 

13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and 
calleth unto him whom he would : and they came 
unto him. 

1 Or, all the things that he did 2 Gr. scourges. 3 Gr. fell. 

on the eastern side of the Valley of Akabak The country was about 125 
miles long by thirty miles wide. It was inhabited by the children of Edom, 
who were subdued by David, 2 Sam. viii, 14 ; and again conquered by John 
Hyrcanus, a Maccabean ruler, b. c. 125. It was the birth place of Antipas, 
father of Herod the Great. Idumaea is not elsewhere named in the N. T. 
" This is the fullest statement to be found in any of the Gospels as to the 
extent of our Lord's personal influence, and the composition of the multi- 
tudes who followed him." — Alexander. 

9. multitude'] or "crowd." The Greek word is not the same as that 
in v. 7, but implies a confused and tumultuous company. 

10. pressed] or " fell upon him," as a crowd would. 

plagues'] The word thus rendered denotes (1) a whip or scourge, and is used 
in this sense in Acts xxii, 24 ; Heb. xi, 36 ; (2) a plague or disease of the 
body. Comp. Mark v, 29, 34 ; Luke vii, 21. 

11. Thou art the Son of God] In the synagogue of Capernaum they had 
called him the " Holy One of God" (Mark i, 24), they now acknowledge 
him as the " Son of God " (comp. Luke iv, 41). The force of the imperfect 
tense in the original here is very striking, "whenever the demons saw him, 
they kept falling down before him and saying." 

Practical Suggestions. — " The ability to do good imposes the obligation 
to do it." — C. Mather. " What an obligation rests on the rich to do good !" 
— Barnes. Christ's people "are marked men." Their dress, expenditures, 
use of time, conduct, spirit, are rigidly scanned, and the world watches to 
see them fall into error. It is lawful to do good works of necessity and 
mercy on the sabbath. Christians are not to stop doing good because of op- 
position. One field of usefulness may be left for another, to avoid unneces- 
sary conflict. " We fear man so much because we fear God so little." 

13-19, Calling Twelve Apostles, A. D. 28. 

13. calleth] " We have... in the process of preparing men to organize the 
church : (1) The personal call of at least seven persons into Christ's society, 
as friends and pupils ; (2) a second call to constant personal attendance ; 
(3) The more formal designation of twelve persons to the apostolic office." 
— Alexander. They would have ' ' for their high commission, the organization 
of the new kingdom of God, first in Israel, then throughout the world."— 
Geikie. "The general opinion is, that they (Apostles) were men taken from 
the humblest classes, and were, with the exception of Paul, wholly illiterate. 
What powers they exhibited in preaching, in argument, and in writing, 
are commonly supposed to have been the result of supernatural gifts 



Mask in, 14-17.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



51 



Revised Version. 

14 and they went unto him. And he appointed 
twelve, 1 that they might be with him, and 
that he might send them forth to preach, 

15 and to have authority to cast out 2 devils : 

16 3 and Simon he surnamed Peter ; and James 

17 the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of 



Authorized Version. 

14 And he ordained twelve, that they should 
be with him, and that he might send them forth 
to preach. 

15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and 
to cast out devils : 

16 And Simon he surnamed Peter ; 

17 And James, the son of Zebedee, and John 

1 Some ancient authorities add whom also he named apostles. See Luke vi, 13. * Gr. demons. 
3 Some ancient authorities insert and he appointed twelve. 

and graces... An investigation would show that they were not taken from the 
humblest classes, and that in intellectual training they far excelled those 
haughty Scribes and Pharisees who sneered at them." — Kitto. 

The scene of his retirement was, in all probability, the singular elevation 
now known as the Kurn Hattin, or "Horns of Hattin, singularly adapted 
by its conformation, both to form a place for short retirement and a rendez- 
vous for gathering multitudes." A tradition of the fifteenth century identi- 
fies this hill with that on which the sermon on the mount was delivered; it 
is also said to be the place where the Lord's Prayer was first given to the 
disciples. 

14. ordained twelve] or "appointed, nominated;" " ordained " is too 
strong a term. Hitherto they had been his friends and disciples ; now he 
formally called them, and joined them in a united band. This company 
was formed for three special objects: (1) As companions of Jesus ; (2) as 
gospel preachers; (3) to cast out demons. " To heal sicknesses, and " is 
omitted in R. V., because not in the best authorities. Mark gives special 
prominence " to the power of casting out demons." Four lists of the Twelve 
are recorded, one by Matthew (x, 2-4), this by Mark, and two by Luke 
(vi, 14-16 ; Acts i, 13). Bengel noticed that they were divided into three 
groups of four each, the leaders in each group being always the same, viz., 
Peter, Philip, and James the son of Alphaeus. 

(i) 1 Peter. (ii) 5 Philip. (iii) 

2 James. 6 Bartholomew. 

3 John. 7 Matthew. 

4 Andrew. 8 Thomas. 



9 James the Less. 

10 Thaddaeus. 

11 Simon the Canaanite. 

12 Judas Iscariot. 



Simon] Or Simeon (Acts xv, 14)," hearer," thesonof Jona or Jonas(John 
i, 42: xxi, 16), whom our Lord surnamed Peter or Cephas, the Bock-man, 
stands first in all the four lists. He was brought up in his father' s occupation, 
as a fisherman on the Galilean Lake, and lived originally at Bethsaida, and 
afterwards in a house at Capernaum (Mark i, 21, 29). His earliest call came 
to him through his brother Andrew (John i, 42). His second call took place 
on the lake near Capernaum, where he and the other three in his group were 
fishing. He is specially prominent among the Apostles. Sometimes he 
speaks in their name (Matt, xix, 27 ; Luke xii, 41) ; sometimes answers 
when all are addressed (Matt, xvi, 16 ; Mark viii, 29) ; sometimes he is ad- 
dressed as principal, even among the favored three, by our Lord himself 
(Matt, xxvi, 40 ; Luke xxii, 31) ; sometimes he is appealed to by others as 
representing the rest (Matt, xvii, 24 ; Acts ii, 37). After the ascension he 
assumes a position of special prominence (Acts i, 15 ; ii, 14 ; iv, 8; v, 29). 

he surnamed Peter] "It is not asserted that this name was first given on 
this occasion. Still, the words of our Lord at his first meeting with Simon 
(John i, 42) were prophetic, and Mark seems to have mentioned the name 
for the first time here, because it was the Apostolic name. ' ' — Schaff. 

17. James the son of Zebedee and Salome (Matt, xxvii, 56 ; Mark xv, 
40) | a native of Bethsaida, commonly known as James "the Great ;" the 



52 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark III, 18. 



Authorized Version. 

the brother of James ; and he surnamed them 

Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder : 

18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 

and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son 



Revised Version. 

James; and them he surnamed Boanerges, 

18 which is, Sons of thunder: and Andrew, and 

Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and 

Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and 

first of the Apostolic body to suffer martyrdom, and the only one of the 
twelve whose death is actually recorded in the New Testament. 

John] the brother of James, who never in his Gospel calls himself by 
this name, but sometimes the disciple "whom Jesus loved" (John xiii, 23; 
xix, 26),, sometimes "the other disciple" (John xviii, 15; xx, 2, 3). To 
him Christ committed the care of his mother. These brothers were sur- 
named Boanerges, i. e., "sons of thunder," an Aramaic word transferred 
into the Greek, and used in allusion, possibly, to the fiery, intrepid zeal 
(some say eloquence) which marked their character. Of this we have traces 
in Luke ix, 54; Mark ix, 38; x, 37. "John was not, as he is often portrayed, 
of a soft and almost effeminate disposition." " With the ancients, thunder 
was the symbol for profound and solemn utterances." What more profound 
than John's gospel! What more solemn than the book of Revelation! 

18. Andrew] a brother of Peter (Matt, iv, 18), and a native of Bethsaida, 
and a former disciple of the Baptist (John i, 40). There are three notices 
of him in the Gospels. (1) On the occasion of the feeding of the five 
thousand, it is he who points out the little lad with the five barley loaves and 
two fishes (John vi, 8) ; (2) when certain Greeks desired to see Jesus, 
Andrew, with Philip, introduced them to the Lord (John xii, 22); (3) together 
with Peter, James and John he inquired of our Lord's future coming (Mark 
xiii, 3). Andrew and Philip are old Greek names. 

Philip] also a native of Bethsaida, and one of the earliest disciples (John 
i, 43). He brought Bartholomew (John i, 45), and of him the question was 
asked "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eatV (John vi, 5-9). 
Together with his friend and fellow townsman, Andrew, he brought the in- 
quiring Greeks to the Saviour (John xii, 20-22) ; it was he who said, "Lord, 
shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us" (John xiv, 8). 

Bartholomew] i. <?., Bar-Tolmai, the "Son of Tholmai" and probably 
identical with Nathanael, =" gift of God." For (1) John twice mentions 
Nathanael, never Bartholomew (John i, 45 ; xxi, 2) ; (2) the other Evange- 
lists all speak of Bartholomew, never of Nathanael; (3) Philip first brought 
Nathanael to Jesus, and Bartholomew is mentioned by each of the Synoptic 
Evangelists immediately after Philip ; (4) John couples Philip with 
Nathanael precisely in the same way that Simon is coupled with his brother 
Andrew. Respecting him, under the name of Nathanael, we learn from the 
Gospels little more than (a) his birth place, Cana of Galilee (John xxi, 2) ; 
(6) his simple, guileless character (John i, 47) ; and (c) that he was one of 
the seven to whom our Lord showed himself by the lake of Gennesaret after 
his resurrection (John xxi, 2). — Camb. Bible. 

Matthew] or Levi, whose call has just been described. See above, on 
ii, 14, page 42. 

Thomas] or Didjmus = a twin (John xi, 16; xxi, 2), was marked by a 
deep attachment to his Master and a readiness even to die with him (John 
xi, 16), but at the same time, by a tendency to despondency, which made 
him ever ready to distrust other evidence than that of his senses (John xiv, 
5 ; xx, 25). He is named eight times in John's Gospel. 

James] or " James the Less," the son of Alphaeus (not, it is thought, the 
same Alpheeus who was the father of Matthew). He was called "the Less," 
to distinguish him from James, the son of Zebedee. He is probably a dis- 
tinct person from James, the Lord's brother (Gal. i, 19), who was author 
of the Epistle which bears his name, 



Mark til, 19-22.] 



Otf TflE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



68 



Revised Version. 

19 Thaddseus, and Simon the 1 Cananacan, and 
Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him. 

20 And he cometh 2 into a house. And the 
multitude cometh together again, so that 

21 they could not so much as eat bread. And 
when his friends heard it, they went out to 
lay hold on him : for they said, He is beside 

22 himself. And the scribes which came down 
from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, 
and, 3 By the prince of the *devils casteth he 



home 3 0r, In * Gr. demons. 



Authorized Version. 
of Alphseus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the 
Canaanite, 

19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed 
him : and they went into an house. 

20 And the multitude cometh together again, 
so that they could not so much as eat bread. 

21 And when his friends heard of it, they went 
out to lay hold on him : for they said, He is be- 
side himself. 

22 fl And the scribes which came down from 
Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub and by the 
prince of the devils casteth he out devils. 

1 Or, Zealot. See Luke vi, 15 ; Acts i, 13. 2 Or, 

Thaddceus] i. e., Judas, a brother, or possibly a son of James (Luke vi, 
16 ; Acts i, 13 ; Jude i). He was surnamed Thaddceus and Lebbceus (MStt. 
x, 3), which some interpret as " a man of energy and courage." He is the 
author of the Epistle which bears his name (Jude). Once only in the 
Gospels do we find any act or saying of his recorded, John xiv, 22. 

Simon] the Canancean (Matt, x, 4), in Greek Zelotes or Zealot (Luke 
vi, 15 ; Acts i, 13). The word does not signify a native of Canaan, or of 
Cana, but comes from a Chaldee or Syriac word, Kanean or Kaneniah, by 
which the Jewish sect or faction of "the Zealots," who acted as reprovers 
of open and public sin, was designated. To this sect Simon had probably 
belonged before his call. 

19. Judas Iscariot] sometimes called the son of Simon (John vi, 71 ; 
xiii, 2, 26), more generally Iscariot, i. e., probably " a native of Kerioth" 
a little village in the tribe of Judah (Josh, xv, 25). 

into an house] Wiclif's and the margin of the R. V. read, "came 
home," i. e., to Capernaum, which throws light on the preaching tours of 
Christ through Galilee. The sentence strictly belongs to the next section. 

Practical Lessons. — God calls into his service every variety of talent. 
There was a Judas among the Apostles ; so hypocrites and unworthy pro- 
fessors are to be expected now. " Different types of men meet different 
types of the community ; some famous, some unknown, but all useful. Is 
every twelfth man a ' devil ?' " — J. Parker. Christ's messengers are to be 
heard. When his congregation became inattentive, Bishop Aylmer recited 
some verses from the Hebrew Bible. His audience would stare in astonish- 
ment ; then he would remind them of the folly of listening to an unknown 
tongue and neglecting a message in words easily understood. 
20-35. The Boldness of Jesus, A. D., 28. 

11 At this point we find the largest gap in Mark's narrative. Shortly after 
the choice of the twelve the sermon on the mount was delivered. — Schaff. 

21. when his friends] literally, "those from him," or "belonging to 
him," in which sense the phrase is used by Xenophon. The exact meaning 
is doubtful, but it is'usually understood to refer, not to the apostles, but his 
relatives, including " his brethren and his mother," who are noticed here as 
going forth, and a few verses later on as having arrived at the house where 
our Lord was (Mark iii, 31 ), or the place where the crowds were thronging him. 

He is beside himself] The phrase is designedly ambiguous, and may be used 
in a good sense, or in a bad sense, i. e. , insane. They deemed him in a sort of 
ecstacy or religious enthusiasm, which made him no longer master of him- 
self. Paul uses the word in this sense in 2 Cor. v, 13, " For whether we be be- 
side ourselves, it is to God." Comp. the words of Festus to Paul (Acts xxvi, 
24). Many earnest preachers are still regarded as beside themselves. 

22. He hath Beelzebub] Matthew connects this blasphemy with the cure 
of a man not only possessed with a demon, but also blind and dumb (Matt. 



Mark III, 23-29.] ON THE GOSPEL OP MARK. 55 



Revised Version. 

23 out the Mevils. And he called them unto 
him, and said unto them in parables, How 

24 can Satan cast out Satan ? And if a kingdom 
be divided against itself, that kingdom can- 

25 not stand. And if a house be divided against 
itself, that house will not be able to stand. 

26 And if Satan hath risen up against himself, 
and is divided, he cannot stand, but hath an 

27 end. But no one can enter into the house 
of the strong man, and spoil his goods, ex- 
cept he first bind the strong man ; and then 

28 he will spoil his house. Yerily I say unto 
you, All their sins shall be forgiven unto the 
sons of men, and their blasphemies where- 

29 with soever they shall blaspheme : but who- 
soever shall blaspheme against the Holy 
Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is guilty 



Authorized Version. 

23 And he called them unto him, and said unto 
them in parables, How can Satan cast out Sa- 
tan? 

24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, 
that kingdom cannot stand. 

25 And if a house be divided against itself, 
that house cannot 6tand. 

26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be 
divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 

27 No man can enter into a strong man's 
house, and spoil his goods, except he will first 
bind the strong man ; and then he will spoil his 
house. 

28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be 
forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies 
wherewith soever they shall blaspheme : 

29 But he that shall blaspheme against the 
Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in 
danger of eternal damnation : 

*Gr. demons. 

xii, 22). Beelzebub or rather Beelzebu-Z was the title of a heathen deity. 
(a) Some would connect the name with zebul = habitation, so making it = 
the Lord of the dwelling (Matt, x, 25), in his character of "prince of the 
power of the air" (Eph. ii, 2), or of the lower world, or as occupying a 
mansion in the seventh heavens. (6) Others would connect it with zebel = 
dung, and so make it = the lord of dung or the dung-hill, a term of derision 
amongst the Jews for the Philistine Fly- God. This fearful blasphemy was 
repeated more than once. See Luke xi, 17, et seq. 

said unto them in parables'] See after, on Mark iv, 2, p. 57. 

23. How can Satan cast out Satan f] Using this irresistible form of ar- 
gument, he shows them the absurdity of supposing that Satan could be his 
own enemy. If neither a kingdom, nor city (Matt, xii, 25), nor house could 
stand, when divided against itself, much less could the empire of the Evil 
one. Satan, says Romaine, has an old grudge against Christ, and will not 
scruple to tell any lies of him. The devils won't aid Christ, even by fighting 
among themselves. 

26. but hath an end] i. e., ceases to be what he is. The theory which 
th'e enemies of Christ advanced would put Satan out of existence. 

27. No man. ..strong man] Calvin maintains that the "strong man" 
represents Satan, and the "man " who binds him means Christ. 

28. be forgiven] i. e., "is pardonable ;" not that every such sin shall be 
actually pardoned, unless repented of. 

29. shall blaspheme] ' ' The sin against which these words are a terrible 
but merciful warning is not so much an act, as a state of sin, on the part of 
one who, in defiance of light and knowledge, of set purpose rejects, and not 
only rejects, but perseveres in rejecting, the warnings of conscience, and the 
grace of the Holy Spirit ; who, blinded by religious bigotry, rather than 
ascribe a good work to the spirit of good, prefer to ascribe it to the spirit of 
evil. — Camb. Bible. Lightfoot suggests the Jews had hope that every sin 
would be atoned for by death, in their case, but Christ shows that violent or 
willful contempt of the Holy Spirit would never be forgiven. 

eternal damnation] or " eternal sin," according to the best MSS., and as 
in R. V. This implies far more than the reading of the A. V. , for, while it 
signifies that the unpardonable sin may begin in one act of blasphemy, it re- 
sults in a state of sinful activity which is endless. 

Practical Suggestions. — In regard to the power of Satan over men, even 
in sleep, the elder Alexander says: We should (1) avoid evil thoughts and 
such pampering of the body as has a tendency to pollute our dreams ; (2) pray 



56 



people's commentary 



[Mark III, 30-35. 



Revised Veksion. 

30 of an eternal sin : because they said, He hath 
an unclean spirit. 

31 And there come his mother and his 
brethren ; and, standing without, they sent 

32 unto him, calling him. And a multitude 
was sitting about him; and they say unto 
him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren 

33 without seek for thee. And he answereth 
them, and saith, Who is my mother and my 

34 brethren? And looking round on them 
which sat round about him, he saith, Behold 

35 my mother and my brethren! For whoso- 
ever shall do the will of God, the same is my 
brother, and sister, and mother. 



Authorized Version. 

30 Because they said, He hath an unclean 
spirit. 

31 fl There came then his brethren and his 
mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, 
calling him, 

32 And the multitude sat about him, and they 
said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy 
brethren without seek for thee. 

33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my 
mother, or my brethren ? 

31 And he looked round about on them which 
sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and 
my brethren! 

35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the 
same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. 

God to preserve us from evil thoughts, even in sleep.... I am inclined to be- 
lieve that, somehow or other, both good and evil spirits have access to our 
minds in sleep. They actually seem to hold conversation with us, and sug- 
gest things of which we had never thought before. ' St. Bernard says of 
evil thoughts : ' They pass and repass ; I would fain remove them but can- 
not.' So Paul also declared, see Rom. vii. This arch fiend is deeply 
versed in the physiology of human nature.... On uninstructed minds the 
effect is often to induce the belief that they have sinned the sin unto death, 
by blaspheming the Holy Ghost." — A. Alexander. The poet Cowper, in a 
fit of insanity, was under the hallucination that he believed he had been 
commanded to kill himself, and for not having done so, had forfeited para- 
dise. There is a limit to divine mercy and forgiveness. "There is such a 
thing as a sin which is never forgiven. But those who are troubled about it 
are most unlikely to have committed it." — Ryle. 

31-35. His Mother and His Brethren Come to Him. 

31. his brethren] their names, James, Joses, Simon, Judas, are given 
in Matt, xiii, 55 ; and Mark vi, 3. Some understand them to have been hia 
literal "brethren," others think they were the sons of Cleophas and Mary, 
the sister and namesake of Mary the mother of Jesus. See on ch. vi, 3. 

his mother] hence Theophylact taxes her... of vain glory and of guilt, in 
endeavoring to draw him... from teaching the word. Tertullian pronounceth 
her guilty of incredulity ; Chrysostom of vain glory, infirmity and madness, 
for this very thing." — Whitby. Mariolatry has little support or sympathy 
from these early Christian fathers. Some authorities add " and thy sisters" 
to " thy mother and thy brethren." 

without] either outside the house, although it is not certain he was in a 
house, but certainly outside of the crowd (Luke viii, 19). 

33. Who is] it is thought that the "brethren" also wished to share in 
his fame, and to prove to the people their connection with him, and their 
influence over him. But " the most sacred of earthly ties lost its greatness, 
before the grandeur of spiritual kinship in the new, deathless communion 
he (Christ) was founding."— Geikie. 

34. looked round] another graphic touch peculiar to Mark. "The 
look was probably one of friendly recognition." — Riddle. Luke states the 
saying here recorded in another form, Luke viii, 21. 

do the will of God] the parallel words by Matthew (xii, 50) are " the will of 
my Father which is in heaven." The sinner unrenewed does the works of 
his father, the devil, but " whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin." 
Thus the will of God is "your sanctification. " 

Practical Suggestions. — "True courage is unassuming; true piety seri- 
ous and humble." — R. Hall. " The qualities of your friends will be those 
of your enemies — cold friends, cold enemies j half friends, half enemies ; 



IV, 1,2.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



67 



Atjthobized Vebsion. 

CHAP. IV. — And he began again to teach 
by the sea side : and there was gathered 
unto him a great multitude, so that he entered 
into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole 
multitude was by the sea on the land. 
2 And he taught them many things by para- 
bles, and said unto them in his doctrine, 



Revised Version. 
And again he began to teach by the sea 
side. And there is gathered unto him a 
very great multitude, so that he entered into 
a boat, and sat in the sea ; and all the multi- 
tude were by the sea on the land. And he 
taught them many things in parables, and 



fervid enemies, warm friends." — Lavator. True disciples are Christ's 
nearest relatives. Divisions in any organization tend to destruction ; 
churches and families are no exception to this rule. 

Ch. IV. 1-25. Parable of the Sower, A. D. 28. 

1. began again to teach] the scenery round the lake doubtless sug- 
gested many of the details of the parables. (1) The vast multitude " out of 
every city" (Luke viii, 4) ; (2) from the fishing-boat ; (3) patches of corn 
fields with the trodden pathway running through them, the rocky ground 
protruding here and there, the thorn growing in the midst of the waving 
wheat, the rich soil; (4) the mustard tree; (5) the fishermen plying amidst 
the marvelous shoals of fish, the drag net or hawling net (Matt, xiii, 47, 48), 
the casting net (Matt, iv, 18 ; Mark i, 16), the bag net and basket net (Luke 
v, 4-9) ; (6) the women and children employed in picking out from the 
wheat the tall, green stalks, called by the Arabs, zurwdn, the tares of our 
version; (7) the countless flocks of birds, aquatic fowls by the lake-side, 
partridges and pigeons hovering over the rich plain. Consult Stanley's 
Sinai and Palestine ; Thomson's Land and the Book ; Tristram's Land of 
Israel. Prior to this occasion, Mark mentions other three, when Jesus was 
beside the sea (Mark i, 16 ; ii, 13 ; iii, 7). 

in the sea~\ Christ's position was in a boat on the water, the audience 
being slightly elevated above him. "This is the best way of arranging an 
audience, but the world seems to have discovered it quicker than the 
church." — Schaff. Music halls and theatres are constructed on a similar 
principle, but few churches have adopted it. 

2. by parables'] ' 'The Greek word thus rendered denotes (a) a placing be- 
side, (b) a comparing, a comparison. In Hellenistic Greek it became coexten- 
sive with the Hebrew mdshdl = similitude. In this sense it is applied (1) 
In the Old Testament, to — (a) The shortest proverbs : as 1 Sam. x, 12; xxiv, 
13 ; 2 Chron. vii, 20; (b) Bark prophetic utterances; as Num. xxiii, 7; Ezek. 
xx, 49 ; (c) Enigmatic maxims : as Ps. lxxviii, 2 ; Prov. i, 6 ; (2) In the Gos- 
pels, to (a) Short sayings : as Luke iv, 23 ; (b) A comparison without a 
narrative : as Mark xiii, 28." — Camb. Bible. The parables of Christ differ 
from (1) proverbs, by presenting truth in new and fuller forms ; from (2) fables, 
by their higher spiritual aim, and the intrinsic probability of their incidents ; 
from (3) allegories, by not being always self-interpreting, the difference be- 
tween them being rather in the form than in the aim. " I am the true vine," 
etc., Jno. xv, 1-8, is an allegory; "the kingdom of heaven is like a grain 
of mustard seed," is a parable. They differ from apologues by being drawn 
from events which may actually take place, while an apologue is founded on 
supposed actions of brutes and inanimate things. JSsop's fables are apo- 
logues, not parables. "There is good reason to believe that all the parables 
of Christ are founded in fact, if not entirely composed of real incidents." — 
Alexander. Parables have always been popular in the East. They were 
commonly used by the Rabbis in their teaching, and Trench gives some of 
the most striking of those presented in the Talmud. The object of Jesus in 
teaching by parables was twofold : (1) to reveal and (2) to conceal truth : 
reveal it to those who sincerely sought it; conceal it from those who did not 
wish such knowledge. 



58 



People's commentary 



[Mark IV, 3-8. 



Authorized Version. 

3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to 
sow: 

4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell 
by the way side, and the fowls of the air came 
and devoured it up. 

5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had 
not much earth ; and immediately it sprang up, 
because it had no depth of earth : 

6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched ; 
and because it had no root, it withered away. 

7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns 
grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 

8 And other fell on good ground, and did 
yield fruit that sprang up and increased ; and 
brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and 
some an hundred. 



Revised Version. 

3 said unto them in his teaching, Hearken: 

4 Behold, the sower went forth to sow ; and it 
came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by 
the way side, and the birds came and devoured 

5 it. And other fell on the rocky ground, where 
it had not much earth ; and straightway it 
sprang up, because it had no deepness of 

6 earth: and when the sun was risen, it was 
scorched ; and because it had no root it with- 

7 ered away. And other fell among the thorns, 
and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it 

8 yielded no fruit. And others fell into the 
good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up 
and increasing ; and brought forth, thirtyfold, 

9 and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. And he 



3. went out] The expression implies that the sower did not sow near his 
own house, or in a garden fenced or walled, but went forth into the open 
country. 

4. by the way side] i. e. on the hard footpath, or road, passing through 
the cultivated land. Fowls, or rather "birds," as in the R. V., such as 
the lark, sparrow and raven. 

5. stony ground] or "rocky ground." This must be compared with 
" the rock" mentioned by Luke (viii, 6). What is meant is not a soil min- 
gled with stones, but a thin coating of mould covering the surface of a rock. 

7. thorns] the "nabk" or "bellan" 
of the Arabs, which grows abundantly in 
Syria and Palestine. Of some of these 
varieties the crown of thorns was probably 
woven. ' ' The traveler finds them [thorns] 
in his path, go where he may. Many of 
them are small, but grow as high as a man's 
head." — Hackett. 

and choked it] or as Wyclif translates it, 
"thornes stieded up, and strangliden it. " 
The seed and the thorns grew together, but 
the thorns gradually out-topped it. Stan- 
Palestine Thorn (zizyphus Spina Christi.) ley and Thomson saw regions exhibiting 
all these four kinds of soil at one view. In the open country there are no 
fences, the path passes through cultivated ground, where thorns grow and the 
rocks peep out in places through the scanty soil, and near by are fertile 
patches. "Here we have the whole four within a dozen rods of us. Our 
horses are actually tramping down the seeds which have fallen by the way- 
side, and larks and sparrows are busy picking them up. That man with his 
mattock is digging about places where the rock is too near the surface for 
the plow, and much that is sown there will wither away. And not a few 
seeds have fallen among this bellan, and will be effectually choked by this 
most entangled of thorn- bushes. But a large portion falls into really good 
ground, and four months hence will exhibit every variety of crop up to the 
richest and heaviest that ever rejoices the heart even of an American farmer." 
— Thomson. 

8. on good ground] rather "into " good ground, as in R. V. The read- 
ing in the R. V. of the verse gives the best sense of the original. 

some thirty] Matthew says "some an hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some 
thirty-fold." Isaac sowed and " received in the same year an hundred-fold" 
(Gen. xxvi, 12). Herodotus tells us that two hundred-fold was a common 
return in the plain of Babylon, while a kind of white maize often in Pales- 




10 And when he was alone, they that were 
about him with the twelve asked of him the 

11 parables. And he said unto them, Unto you 
is given the mystery of the kingdom of God : 
but unto them that are without, all things 

12 are done in parables : that seeing they may 
see, and not perceive ; and hearing they may 
hear, and not understand ; lest haply they 
should turn again, and it should be forgiven 

13 them. And he saith unto them, Know ye 
not this parable ? and how shall ye know all 

14 the parables ? The sower soweth the word. 



Mask rV, 9-14.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 50 

Authorized Version. Revised Version. 

9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears I said, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear, 
to hear, let him hear. 

10 And when he was alone, they that were 
about him with the twelve asked of him the par- 
able. 

11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given 
to know the mystery of the kingdom of God : 
but unto them that are without, all these things 
are done in parables : 

12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive ; 
and hearing they may hear, and not under- 
stand ; lest at any time they should be converted, 
and their sins should be forgiven them. 

13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this 
parable ? and how then will ye know all para- 
bles? 

14 f The sower soweth the word. 

tine returns several hundred-fold. Professor Post states that a similar yield 
is now obtained on the plains of Bashan. There are three causes of un- 
fruitfuiness ; three degrees of fruitfulness, but only one cause of fruitfulness. 

9. hath ears to hear] " Now, now, if ever, he who can hear must hear, 
or incur the penalty of inattention." — Alexander. 

10. And when he was alone] with his disciples only. Mark states what 
took place after the Saviour had "sent the multitudes away " and "gone 
into the house" (Matt, xiii, 36). But the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic ver- 
sions read, "when they were alone." The scene described is much the 
same by either reading. See Gill. " The parables " is the reading of most 
MSS., and so in the R. V. 

11. the mystery] the word "mystery," denotes (a) a religious mystery like 
those of Eleusis, into which men were initiated ; (b) a secret (as in 1 Cor. xv, 
51) ; and is applied (1) to the Gospel itself (as here and in 1 Cor. ii, 7 ; Rom. 
xvi, 25 5 Eph. i, 9) ; (2) to the various parts and truths of the Gospel (Matt, 
xiii, 11 ; Luke viii, 10 ; 1 Cor. iv, 1) ; (3) to a symbolic representation or em- 
blem (Rev. xvii, 5, 7). — Comb. Bible. Here it means "the secret" things. 
Notice the revised version, "Unto you is given the mystery, etc." "The 
mysteries concerning the kingdom of heaven are mysteries to the natural 
man, whose mind is darkened by sin. The Jews failed to perceive its spir- 
ituality as well as its universality " (Eph. iii, 4 ; Rom. xvi, 25). — Lange. 

them that are without] comp. 1 Cor. v, 12, 13 ; Col. iv, 5 ; 1 Thess. iv, 
12; 1 Tim. iii, 7. " Here, where a separation between Christ's followers 
and those without is first plainly marked, the point of discrimination is spir- 
itual knowledge. This shows the importance of Christian truth, which im- 
plies doctrine." — Schaff. 

12. that seeing they may see, and not perceive] to see and not" see, 
hear and not hear, was a paradoxical Greek proverb, used by Demosthenes 
and iEschylus to express an act of the senses, without mental or moral con- 
viction. When Christ's direct teaching was met with scorn, unbelief and 
hardness, he taught in "parables," and so was fulfilled the prophecy of 
Isaiah (vi, 9, 10), which is quoted by Matthew in the parallel passage (Matt, 
xiii. 14, 15). See article on Parables in SchafFs Bible Diet. 

13. Know ye not this parable ?] For it was the simplest type of a para- 
ble. " The question suggests an ever-growing insight But if they were 

such slow scholars in this early stage, how was that insight to be imparted ? 
The question is followed by the answer." — Ellicott. 

14. The sower] this is applicable to (1) Christ ; (2) his apostles ; (3) all 
who go forth in his name, and with his authority. Comp. 1 Pet. i, 23 5 
1 John iii, 9. 



people's commentary 



[Mark IV, 15-21. 



Authorized Version. 

15 And these are they by the way side, where 
the word is sown ; but when they have heard, 
Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the 
word that was sown in their hearts. 

16 And these are they likewise which are sown 
on stony ground ; who, when they have heard 
the word, immediately receive it with gladness. 

17 And have no root in themselves, and so en- 
dure but for a time : afterward, when affliction 
or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, im- 
mediately they are offended. 

18 And these are they which are sown among 
thorns ; such as hear the word, 

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceit- 
fulness of riches, and the lusts of other things 
entering in, choke the word, and it becometh 
unfruitful. 

20 And these are they which are sown on good 
ground ; such as hear the word, and receive it, 
and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some six- 
ty, and some an hundred. 

21 fl And he said unto them, . Is a candle 
brought to be put under a bushel, or under a 
bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? 



Revised Version. 

15 And these are they by the way side, where 
the word is sown; and when they have 
heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh 
away the word which hath been sown in 

16 them. And these in like manner are they 
that are sown upon the rocky places, who, 
when they have heard the word, straightway 

17 receive it with joy; and they have no root 
in themselves, but endure for a while ; then, 
when tribulation or persecution ariseth be- 
cause of the word, straightway they stumble. 

18 And others are they that are sown among 
the thorns ; these are they that have heard 

19 the word, and the cares of the 1 world, and 
the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of 
other things entering in, choke the word, 

20 and it becometh unfruitful. And those are 
they that were sown upon the good ground ; 
such as hear the word, and accept it, and 
bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a 
hundredfold. 

21 And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought 
to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, 



1 Or, age. 

15. these are they] there were four kinds of soil, and four kinds of hear- 
ers ; only one kind produced fruit. " Not that one hearer only out of four, or ten 
out of forty, embrace the doctrine and yield fruit ; for Christ did not intend 
here to fix an exact number the produce is not always alike, but is some- 
times more abundant, at other times more scanty." — John Calvin. 

17. affliction] the word thus translated denotes (1) pressure; then (2) 
the distress arising therefrom. The word tribulation rests upon this image, 
coming from tribulum = the threshing-roller. 

offended] in the old English sense of stumbling or causing to stumble : 
see R. V. 

18. these are they] or " these are others which," or as in R. V. 

19. the cares of the world] the word rendered "cares" denotes in the 
original " distracting anxieties," which, as it were, " cut a man in sunder." 
See Hos. x, 2 ; Jas. i, 8. 



of other things] " certainly by the ' other things ' are to be under- 
stood gluttony, drunkenness, and intemperance, and sensuality of every 
kind. ' ' — Bloomfield. 

it becometh unfruitful] or, as Luke has it, " they bring no fruit to perfec- 
tion ;" a word not elsewhere in the N. T., and used with reference to a wo- 
man bringing a child to the birth, or a tree to its full maturity. The mere 
hearer of the word has at first a " name to live," but the life of godliness 
has no abiding root, and it dies. 

20. such as hear the word, and receive it] mark the contrast ; what a 
glorious harvest. Luke leaves out the two least returns. 

21. Is a candle brought] The simple 
and indispensable furniture in every Jewish 
household. The original word means not 
a candle, but a lamp, as in R. V. 

to be put under the bushel] the original 
word modius denotes a dry measure con- 
taining 16 sextarii, or about a peck, though 
Canon Cook regards it as only six pints- 
The English equivalent is greatly in excess 
of the Latin. 

a candlestick] or the lamp-stand. "Do 
not suppose that what I now commit to you 




MEASURES OF CAPACITY. 



Mark IV, 22-27.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



61 



Attchorized Version. 

22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be 
manifested ; neither was any thing kept secret, 
but that it 6hould come abroad. 

23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 

24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye 
hear : with what measure ye mete, it shall be 
measured to you : and unto you that hear shall 
more be given. 

25 For he that hath, to him shall be given : 
and he that hath not, from him shall be taken 
even that which he hath. 

26 If And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as 
if a man should cast seed into the ground ; 

27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, 
and the seed should spring and grow up, he 



Revised Version. 

22 and not to be put on the stand? For there is 
nothing hid, 6ave that it should" be mani- 
fested ; neither was anything made secret, but 

23 that it should come to light. If any man 

24 hath ears to hear, let him hear. And he 
said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: 
with what measure ye mete it shall be meas- 
ured unto you : and more shall be given 

25 unto you. For he that hath, to him shall be 
given: and he that hath not, from him shall 
be taken away even that which he hath. 

26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as 
if a man should cast seed upon the earth ; 

27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and 
the seed should spring up and grow, he know- 




ASSYRIAN TERRA COTTA LAMPS. 



in secret I would have concealed forever ; the light is kindled by me in you, 
that by your ministry it may disperse the dark- 
ness of the whole world." — Erasmus. 

22. nothing hid.... secret] the Greek word 
for " secret" is the same as we have in our word 
" apocrypha," i. e., "books having a spurious 
sacredness." Some render as in R. V., " save 
that it should be manifested ;" others, as Tre- 
gelles, "except it be manifested." 

manifested... come abroad] verses 21, 22, 
refer to teaching in parables. Thus, when the 
Spirit came and brought all things to the re- 
membrance of the apostles, "he filled all the outlines of truth which they 
before possessed with its substance, quickened all its forms with the power 
and spirit of life. ' ' 

24. with what measure ye mete] "according to the measure of your 
ability and diligence as hearers, ye shall receive instruction, and be enabled 
to preach to others." — Maclear. 

what ye hear] we are not to hear everything — not to run after some new 
thing, like the Athenians, for, as Bunyan warns us, "Satan enters at ear- 
gate." 

25. he that hath] or " seemeth to have." Comp. Matt, xiii, 12; xxv, 
29 ; Luke viii, 18 ; xix, 26. 

Practical Suggestions. — " Earthly things must remind us of heavenly. 
We must translate the book of nature into the book of grace." — Thos. Tay- 
lor, 1634. On the rocky ground hearers, read Edwards' work on The Affec- 
tions. " Never preach a sermon from which an unenlightened hearer might 
not learn the plan of salvation." — Legh Richmond. "Small draughts of 
knowledge lead men to atheism ; but larger bring men back to God." — Ba- 
con. The parable of the sower is a beautiful picture of the rise and progress 
of religion in the soul, which has been expanded and illustrated in Dod- 
dridge's wonderful book. There were four kinds of soil, representing four 
classes of hearers: (1) wayside ; (2) rocky ground ; (3) thorny ground ; (4) 
good ground ; i. e., (1) the hard-hearted hearers ; (2) the faint-hearted ; (3) 
the half-hearted ; (4) the true-hearted. 

26-34. The Seed and the Mustard Seed, A. D. 28. 

26. cast seed] This is one of the two parables peculiar to Mark, and 
seems to take the place of " the leaven (Matt, xiii, 33), but it is different 
from "the leaven." That declares the intensive, this the extensive devel- 
opment of the Gospel. 

27* The seed] In this parable it is not the soil, nor, the .sower, but the 
seed, which is prominent. " I believe the parable one taken simply from 



62 



people's commentary 



[Maek IV, 28-31. 



Revised Version. 

28 eth not how. The earth * beareth fruit of 
herself; first the blade, then the ear, then 

29 the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit 
2 is ripe, straightway he 3 putteth forth the 
sickle, because the harvest is come. 

30 And he said, How shall we liken the 
kingdom of God ? or in what parable shall 

31 we set it forth ? 4 It is like a grain of mus- 
tard seed, which, when it is 60wn upon the 



Authorized Version. 
knoweth not how. 

28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of her- 
self; first the blade, then the ear, after that the 
full corn in the ear. 

29 But when the fruit is brought forth, imme- 
diately he putteth in the sickle, because the har- 
vest is come. 

30 If And he said, Whereunto shall we liken 
the kingdom of God? or with what comparison 
shall we compare it? 

31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, 
1 Or, yieldeth. 2 Or, alloweth. 3 Or, sendeth forth. * Gr., As unto. 

human things — the sower being quite in the background, and the whole 
stress being on the seed, its power and development." — Alford. 

knoweth not how] it is a mistaken notion to be taking up the seed to see 
whether it is growing. " He who sows does not know how that takes place." 
He sleeps and rises, i. e., goes about his ordinary duties, without being 
anxious as to its growth, and not, as Wesley explains it, u has it continually 
in his thoughts." See Alford. It rather illustrates the confidence the 
Christian teacher should have in the growth of the seed he has sown. 

28. of herself] = of its own accord, spontaneously. It is used of the 
gate of Peter's prison opening of its own accord, in Acts xii, 10. 

first the blade] there is a law of orderly development in natural growth ; 
so also is it in reference to spiritual growth ; comp. 1 John ii, 12-14. " By 
such insensible degrees shall the Gospel gain ground in the world and ripen 
into a harvest of glory." — Doddridge. 

29. the sickle] The sickle is only mentioned in the N. T. here, and in Rev. 
xiv, 14, 15. For the entire parable comp. 1 Pet. i, 23-25. 

30. Whereunto shall we liken] 
This method of asking a question 
before beginning a discourse was 
known to the Rabbis. The parables 
of the Sower and the Tares (Matt, 
xiii, 24-30 and 36-43) had been 
discouraging to the disciples, and 
now, lest they should be tempted to 
lose heart and to despair, the two 

E arables (the Mustard Seed and the 
ieaven) are spoken for their encour- 
agement. ' ' My kingdom, ' ' the Lord 
would say, " shall survive these losses 
and surmount these hindrances, until, 
small as its first beginnings may ap- 
pear, it shall, like a mighty tree, fill 
the earth with its branches; like 
leaven, diffuse its influence through 
all the world." 

31. a grain of mustard seed] thn 
growth of a worldly kingdom had been 
already set forth under the image of 
a tree, and that of the kingdom of 
God also had been similarly com- 
pared. (See Dan. iv, 10-12 ; Ezek. 
xvii, 22, 24; xxxi, 3-9). Christ him- 
self sows the seed, which attains a 
corresponding spiritual growth, 




Mustard (Sinapis Nigra, after Dr. Carruthers) 



Mask IV, 32-34.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 63 



Authorized Version. 
when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the 
seeds that be in the earth : 

32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and be- 
cometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out 
great branches ; so that the fowls of the air may 



Revised Version. 
earth, though it be less than all the seeds 
32 that are upon the earth, yet when it is sown, 
groweth up, and becometh greater than all 
the herbs, and putteth out great branches; 
so that the birds of the heaven can lodge 
lodge under the shadow of it. under the shadow thereof. 

33 And with many such parables spake he the i 33 And with many such parables spake he 
word unto them, as they were able to hear it. the word unto them, as they were able to 

34 But without a parable spake he not unto 34 hear it : and without a parable spake he not 
them : and when they were alone, he expounded j unto them : but privately to his own disciples 
all things to his disciples. he expounded all things. 

in the earth] in Matt, xiii, 31, a man is represented as taking and sow- 
ing it " in his field," while Luke, xiii, 19, says " into his garden." As to 
the sowing and its purpose, see John xii, 24. 

less than all the seeds] " small as a grain of mustard seed " was a pro- 
verbial expression among the Jews for something exceedingly minute. 
The mustard seed is not the least of all seeds in the world, but of all which 
the husbandman was accustomed to sow, and the "tree," when full grown, 
was larger than the other herbs in his garden. — Camb. Bible. " Doubtless 
this is chosen [to represent the kingdom] not with reference to great- 
ness which it obtains in the end, for in this many trees surpass it, but to 
the proportion between the smallness of the seed and the greatness of the 
tree which unfolds itself therefrom." — Trench. Then it possessed medi- 
cinal qualities best brought out by being bruised. See Ezek. xlvii, 12 ; 
Rev. xxii, 2. 

32. great branches] in hot countries, as in Judea, the mustard tree 
attains a great size. Thomson saw it on the rich plain of Akkar as tall as 
the horse and his rider. Hackett saw plants of mustard from seven to nine 
feet high, and the birds lighting on their branches. Whitby quotes Rabbi 
Calipha as saying, " A stalk of mustard seed was in my field, into which I 
was used to climb, as men do into a fig tree." 

lodge under the shadow of it] ' 'Christ' s kingdom shall attract multitudes by 
the shelter and protection which it offers ; shelter, as it has often proved, 
from worldly oppression, shelter from the great power of the devil." 

33. many such parables] it is obvious that Mark did not write all he 
knew ; so with John. See John xxi, 25. 

as they icere able] " This does not refer to their worthiness, as Grotius 
suggests, but to their ability to apprehend. It includes, however, their being 
able to bear without being offended." — Lange. 

34. But without a parable] il But," better " and" as in R. V. " This 
cannot mean that he never taught them in any other form, which would be 
contradicted by the whole course of the history, but only that whatever he 
did teach in parables he did not also teach in other forms." — Alexander. 
Or, a better explanation is, that on this occasion he taught them only by 
parables. 

expounded] the Greek word primarily means " to untie a knot"; hence 
to unfold, make plain or clear. 

Practical Lessons. — "We know as little of the growing above ground 
as of the growing under ground." — Stier. "God's workmen die, but his 
work goes on." — From the monument to the Wesleys, in Westminster Abbey. 
11 He who sows the Master's seed, with an upright heart, shall come again 
rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." — A.Clarke. "Only when the 
seed comes forth of itself does it spring up. and only this it is which proves 
it to be a seed." — Stier. Ryle maintains that the parable of the mustard 
seed indicates the growth of the visible church ; most interpreters hold that 
it is intended to show the growth of grace in the individual believer* 



64 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark IV, 35-39. 



Authorized Version. 

35 And the same day, when the even wag 
come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto 
the other side. 

36 And when they had sent away the multi- 
tude, they took him even as he was in the ship. 
And there were also with him other little ships. 

37 And there arose a great storm of wind.and the 
waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, 
asleep on a pillow : and they awake him, and say 
unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish ? 

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and 
said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind 
ceased, and there was a great calm. 

l 0r, Teacher. 



Revised Version. 

35 And on that day, when even was come, he 
saith unto them, Let us go over unto the 

36 other side. And leaving the multitude, they 
take him with them, even as he was, in the 

37 boat. And other boats were with him. And 
there ariseth a great storm of wind, and the 
waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the 

38 boat was now filling. And he himself was 
in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they 
awake him, and say unto him, 1 Master, carest 

39 thou not that we perish ? And he awoke, and 
rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, 
Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and 



35-41. Stilling the Storm, A. D., 29. 

35. the same day] how busy Jesus had been — he had healed a demoniac 
(Matt, xii, 22) ; encountered the opposition of his friends (Mark iii, 20, 21); 
of his foes (Matt, xii, 24-45) ; and probably preached several sermons (Matt, 
xiii ; Mark iv ; Luke xi, 37-xii, 59) ; and met several would-be followers 
(Matt, viii, 19-22). No wonder he was weary. 

he saith unto them] the three Evangelists agree in the time and in the 
chief incidents of this storm. 

the other side] after a long and exhausting day he needed retirement, and 
repose could nowhere be more readily obtained than in the solitude of the 
eastern shore. So Farrar and others. But Canon Cook thinks repose is not 
intimated as the object in crossing the lake, and points to the usual course 
of our Lord, after teaching in one place, to pass to another to teach others, 
ft was a night voyage. 

36. as he was] without any preparation for the voyage. So Thucydides 
(in, 30) and Xenophon use the phrase. 

37. a great stoi*m] the same word is found in Luke viii, 23. Properly, 
tt means a hurricane. It was one of those sudden and violent squalls to 
which the Lake of Gennesaret was notoriously exposed, lying as it does fully 
six hundred feet lower than the sea and surrounded by mountain gorges, 
which act " like gigantic funnels to draw down the cold winds from the 
mountains." These winds are not only violent, but they come down sud- 
denly, and often when the sky is perfectly clear. One half of the lake may 
be in perfect rest, while the other half is in a wild confusion and a sheet of 
foam. The words are remarkable : Mark and Luke speak of a " hurricane 
of wind"; Matthew refers to the effect on the sea. See Thomson's Land 
and the Book ; Wilson's Recovery of Jerusalem. 

beat] rather, kept beating. Comp. Matt, viii, 24. 

38. a pillow] the word only occurs here. It was probably the leathern 
cushion of the steersman. These details we learn only from Mark. So Van 
Lennep describes a low bench in the stern, where the steersman sits, and the 
captain sometimes rests his head when he sleeps, as is his custom, on the 
quarter-deck. " The high stern made a safe and sloping place, where our 
Saviour slept in the storm."— Macgregor. 

Master] The "Master, master," of Luke (viii, 24), imply haste and 
dread, which is fully exhibited in the rebuke and apprehensive complaint 
recorded by Mark in the words, " carest thou not that we perish 1 " 

39. rebuked the wind] all three Evangelists record that he rebuked the 
wind (comp. Ps. cvi, 9). Mark alone gives his words to the storm. 

the wind ceased] lit. grew tired. We have the same word in Matt, xiv, 
32, and again in Mark vi, 51. After a storm the waves continue to heave 



Mark IV, 40, 41.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 65 

Authorized Version. i Kevised Version. 

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fear- I 40 there was a great calm. And he said unto 
ful? how is it that ye have no faith? them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet 

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one 41 faith? And they feared exceedingly, and 
to another, What manner of man is this, that I said one to another, Who then is this, that 
even the wind and the sea obey him? even the wind and the sea obey him? 

and swell for hours, but here there was a " great calm." "He here shows 
how perfect harmony and peace, even in natural elements, can be restored by 
him." — Jacobus. "This term [rebuked] has given countenance to a con- 
jecture sanctioned by many eminent critics, that our Saviour had in view, not 
merely the storm, but the evil spirits by whose agency it had been stirred 
up." — Boardman. Alexander also favors this view. Compare the destruc- 
tion of Job's children by a hurricane, raised through Satan's agency. Job i, 
18, 19. Lange suggests that nature has acquired a wild independence and 
anarchy since man became unfaithful to his destiny. 

40. Why are ye so fearful] rather, why are ye so apprehensive. They 
were not actually terror-stricken. Some of them, as fishermen, had doubt- 
less been on the lake in severe storms, although perhaps not in so wild a one 
as this; and we cannot suppose Peter, or John, or James, to be cowards, but 
they were apprehensive. Neither had they literally "no faith " in Jesus, 
for, if it had been wanting altogether, they would not have called to him 
for help. Their faith was "little" (Matt, viii, 26), and Jesus inquired, 
" have ye not yet faith," as in R. V., rather than "no faith," as in A. V., 
or, according to Luke, "where is your faith?" (Luke, viii, 25). Matthew 
records the rebuke by Jesus prior to, while Mark and Luke place it after the 
stilling of the tempest. 

41. they feared exceedingly'] they were awed at the exhibition of al- 
mighty power, so that one thought and one question was put by each to the 
other, " What manner of man is this? " or rather as in the R. V., u Who 
then is this?" At such a moment the disciples must have regarded Jesus 
with the holy awe which is due to God only, an awe which would doubtless 
be felt by the mariners who were in the other "little ships" (v. 36), and 
who, though not among the avowed followers of Jesus, were sharers of the 
peace which now pervaded the bosom of the lake ; so, many who are outside 
the church participate in the peaceful blessings which it brings. 

Practical Suggestions. — " The heathen poet makes the god force the 
winds, with his trident, into their cave ; there is a greater and simpler grandeur 
in Mark's narrative.... Jonah slept in a storm, weary, but with a guilty con- 
science ; Jesus slept, weary also, but with a conscience undefiled. Jonah 
was running away from duty ; Jesus was hastening to do it." — John Hall. 
1 'Storms may indeed assail us, and our fears may be great. . . when he awakes for 
our help he will speak every tempest into a calm, and turn our terrors into 
adoring love." — Scott. " As certainly as he could not sink with his disciples 
on that day, he will not suffer his disciples to sink on this." — Schleierma>:her. 
" When there is storm in the soul, thou knowest what it is for and whither 
to fly. What calmness in the soul when the Lord arises and utters his 
voice!" — Gossner. "The Lord rises, confronting the storm, speaks as the 
Master of the elements that are raging about him, and the result is immedi- 
ate... He is Master of the Universe ; all things must serve him." — Howson. 
il The miracles of Jesus, as attestations that the elements of nature were 
plastic in his hands, are really a, new key to the grandest scientific principle 
in the universe, which is that God lives, and .moves, and acts in all nature, 
every instant, and that the whole creation is formed and guided in the inter- 
est of the spiritual man." — F. D. Huntingdon. 

5 



66 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[MxAK V, 1-3. 



Kkvised Version. 
5 And they came to the other side of the sea, 

2 into the country of the Gerasenes. And 
when he was come out of the boat, straight- 
way there met him out of the tombs, a man 

3 with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling 
in the tombs : and no man could any more 



Authorized Version. 

CI HAP. V. — And they came over unto the 
J other side of the sea, into the country of 
the Gadarenes. 

2 And when he was come out of the ship, im- 
mediately there met him out of the tombs a man 
with an unclean spirit. 

3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; 
and no man could bind him, no, not with chains : 

Ch. V. 1 — 10. The Healing of the Gadarene Demoniac. 
This chapter brings to our consciousness, in the most vivid manner, the 
depth of the evil filling this fallen world. The mind is often oppressed with 
the inquiry, Why are all these terrible trials and sorrows in any system of 
created things ? The question must remain without a complete answer until 
man reaches another state of intelligence ; but it maybe partially answered 
here: (1) evil is an incident to any moral system; (2) natural evils are 
in keeping with fallen man ; (3) pain is a safeguard, warning man against 
serious danger ; (4) evil may be made subservient to greater good in a race 
fallen as we are. Consult Hitchcock, Belig. of Geology, pp. 179-251 ; But- 
ler's A nalogy, Leibnitz, etc. 

1. the Gadarenes] on the eastern side of the lake. The records of this 
miracle vary in their readings between (i) Gadarenes, (2) Gergesenes, and 
(3) Gerasenes. Most authorities give Gerasenes, as in R. V. Alford reads, 
Gergesenes. (a) Gadara, the capital of Persea, lay S. E. of the southern 
extremity of Gennesaret, at a distance of about seven miles from Tiberias, 
its country being called Gadaritis ; (b) Gerasal&y on the extreme eastern 
limit of Peraea, and was too far from the lake to meet the requirements of 
the narrative ; (c) Gergesa was a little town nearly opposite Capernaum, 
the ruined site of which is still called Kerza or Gersa. Origen tells us that 
the exact site of the miracle was here pointed out in his day. Mark and 
Luke indicate generally the scene of the miracle, Gadara being a place of 
importance and acknowledged as the capital of a district, while Gerasa may 
refer to some district. See SchafFs Diet, of the Bible. 

2. out of the tombs'] 
^ >w the Hebrews used natu- 

ral caves, and also re- 
cesses hewn by art out 
of the rock, for tombs. 
They were often so 
large as to be supported 
with columns, and had 
cells upon their sides 
for the reception of the 
dead. Such places 
were regarded as un- 
clean (Num. xix, 11, 
16 ; Matt, xxiii, 37). 
These rock caves are 
frequently used f o r 
shelter, and the Arabs 
sometimes dwell in 
them during the winter. 
Many such caves \si 
tombs can still be traced in the ravines on the Eastern side of the lake. 

a man] Matthew (viii, 28) mentions two demoniacs, Luke (viii, 27) and 
Mark only one. Probably one was so much fiercer, that the other was hardly 




The above illustration of a rock-cut tomb is from the " Me- 
moirs of the Survey of "Western Palestine," a tomb of great 
antiquity. Many such tombs exist near the village of Meron, 
supposed to be identical with Meroth, mentioned by Josephus 
and in upper Galilee. 



Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee 

8 by God, torment me not. For he 6aid unto 
him, Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of 

9 the man. And he asked him, What is thy 
name ? And he saith unto him, My name is 



Mark V, 4-9.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MAKK. 67 

Authorized Version. I Revised Version. 

4 Because that he had been often bound with 4 bind him, no, not with a chain ; because that 
fetters and chains, and the chains had been I he had been often bound with fetters and 
plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken chains, and the chains had been rent asunder 
in pieces: neither could any man tame him. by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: 

5 And always, night and day, he was in the 5 and no man had strength to tame him. And 
mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cut- always, night and day, in the tombs and in 
ting himself with stones. the mountains, he was crying out, and cut- 

6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and 6 ting himself with stones. And when he saw 
worshipped him, Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped him; 

7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What 7 and crying out with a loud voice, he saith, 
have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou 
most high God? I adjure thee by God, that 
thou torment me not. 

8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, 
thou unclean spirit. 

9 And he asked him, What is thy name? 
And he answered, saying, My name is Legion : 
for we &re many. 

noticed. "Amid all the boasted civilization of antiquity, there existed no 
hospitals, no penitentiaries, no asylums ; and unfortunates of this class, 
being too dangerous and desperate for human intercourse, could only be 
driven forth from among their fellow-men, and restrained from mischief by 
measures at once inadequate and cruel." — Farrar. 

an unclean spirit] i. e., an evil spirit ; a demon. 

no, not with chains] comp. R. V. It is a general expression for any 
bonds confining the hands or feet. Comp. Acts xxi, 33 ; Eph. vi, 20 ; Rev. 
xx, 1 ; fetters were restricted to the feet. " These were not necessarily of 
metal. The two processes of snapping the chains by one convulsive move- 
ment, and wearing away (not breaking) the latter [fetters] by friction, rather 
suggests the idea of ropes or cords, as in the case of Samson (Judg. xv, 13)." 
— Plumptre. 

4. he had been often] each Evangelist adds something to complete the 
picture ; Matthew says he made the way impassable for travellers (viii, 28) ; 
Luke says he was without clothing (viii, 27) ; Mark that he cried night and 
day and cut himself with stones (v, 5). 

broken in pieces] for another instance of the extraordinary muscular 
strength which maniacs put forth, see Acts xix, 16. 

6. worshipped him] the Greek word signifies primarily, "kissing," as 
in salutation. The English word " worship " has a wider meaning among 
old writers than that of adoring God, which is now attached to it. Luke 
says " he fell down before him." 

7. What have I to do with thee?] literally, What is there between thee 
and me f What have we in common? Why interferes t thou with us? 

most high] " The old Hebrew word Elion found a ready equivalent in the 
Greek * u4' LaT0<T ^ which had already been used by Pindar as a divine name." 
— EUicott. "These men [demoniacs] must have made their remarkable 
confessions by a preternatural influence common to them all, which con- 
trolled their minds and shaped their utterance." — S. Hopkins. Their public 
recognition of Jesus as the Son of God was in advance of the popular opin- 
ion, and, indeed, generally quite contrary to it. Public feeling, therefore, 
did not influence them to make this confession. 

9. My name is Legion] Why Jesus asked this question is not clear. It 
may have been addressed to the man and answered by the demon ; or it may 
have been intended to call forth this answer, to show the desperate nature of 
the case. " He had seen the thick and serried ranks of a Roman legion, 
that fearful instrument of oppression, that sign of terror and fear to the con- 
quered nations." The legion originally consisted of about 3000 soldiers, but 



PEOPLE S COMMENTARY 



[Mark V, 10-15. 



Revised Version. 

10 Legion; for we are many. And he besought 
him much that he would not send them away 

11 out of the country. Now there was there on 
the mountain side a great herd of 6wine 

12 feeding. And they besought him, saying, 
Send us into the swine, that we may enter 

13 into them. And he gave them leave. And 
the unclean spirits came out, and entered 
into the swine: and the herd rushed down 
the steep into the sea, in number about two 
thousand; and they were choked in the sea. 

14 And they that fed them fled, and told it in 
the city, and in the country. And they 
came to see what it was that had come to 

15 pass. And they come to Jesus, and behold 
1 him that was possessed with devils sitting, 
clothed and in his right mind, even him that 

16 had the legion: and they were afraid. And 



Authorized Version. 

10 And he besought him much that he would 
not send them away out of the country. 

11 Now there was there nigh unto the moun- 
tains a great herd of swine leeding. 

12 And all the devils besought him, saying, 
Send us into the swine, that we may enter into 
them. 

13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And 
the unciean spirits went out, and entered into 
the swine: and the herd ran violently down a 
steep place into the sea, (they were about two 
thousand ;) and were choked in the sea. 

14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told 
it in the city, and in the country. And they 
went out to see what it was that was done. 

15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that 
was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, 
sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind : and 
they were afraid. 

1 Or, the demoniac. 

at that time comprised 6000 footmen and 600 cavalry. It is a phrase for any 
indefinitely large number. Compare (1) the "seven demons" by whom 
Mary Magdalene was possessed (Luke viii, 2) ; (2) the " seven other spirits " 
" worse than the first," taking up their abode in a man (Matt, xii, 45). 

10. hebesought] the Alexandrian MS. reads " they besought." 

out of the country] Luke says into " the deep," i. e., ''the abyss " of hell 
(viii, 31). 

11. a great herd of swine] in that region Jews lived mingled with Gen- 
tiles. If their owners were only in part Jews, who merely trafficked in these 
animals, still they were not justified before the law. The wady Semak in 
this region is still ploughed up by wild hogs, in search of roots, upon which 
they live. " A modern physician suggests that the newly- discovered disease, 
trichina spiralis, [Trichinosis?] found in the muscles of hogs, is a scientific 
endorsement of the wisdom of the Levitical enactments." — Vincent. 

12. send us into the sivine] " From this we should infer," says Whedon : 
"(1) That the infernals preferred a human residence to a bestial one ; (2) but 
they preferred a bestial one to their own infernal home." 

13. gave them leave] clearly an inaccurate translation. It should read, 
" suffered them." In Luke (viii, 32), the same word is rendered " suffered." 
The R. V. reads, "gave leave," in both passages, though in six of the 
other seven passages in the Gospels it renders the same word " suffer " ; See 
Matt, viii, 21, 31; xix, 8; Mark x, 4; Luke ix, 59, 61; the exception is 
John xix, 38. " Even Weiss, who will not be accused of extreme ortho- 
doxy, admits that the narrative does not imply that Jesus gave the demons 
leave to enter the swine.... There is a great difference between ' suffering,' 
that is, ' not prohibiting,' and 'giving leave.' Quoted by A. Edersheim. 

went out] "it was a magnificent display of the power of Christ, that 
by his voice, not one devil, but a great multitude of devils, were suddenly 
driven out." — John Calvin. 

down a steep place] At Kerza or Gersa, "where there is no precipice 
running sheer to the sea, but a narrow belt of beach, the bluff behind is so 
steep, and the shoie so narrow, that a herd of swine rushing frantically 
down, must certainly have been overwhelmed in the sea before they could 
recover themselves. " — Tristram. 

and were choked] what an interposition to the inhabitants of the district. 
If the swine, naturally wild, had been allowed to roam at large possessed by 
the untameable devils, they would have been a hundredfold worse and more 
dreadful than the poor man had been whom they had made terrible to all. 

IS* clothed] Luke informs us (viii, 27), that the wretched man wore no 



Mabk V, 16-20.] ON THE GOSPEL OP MARK. 69 

Authorized Version. Revised Version. 

16 And they that saw# told them how it befell they that saw it declared unto them how it 
to him that was possessed with the devil, and I befell x him that was possessed with devils, 
also concerning the swine. I 17 and concerning the swine. And they began 

17 And they began to pray him to depart out to beseech him to depart from their borders, 
of their coasts. 18 And as he was entering into the boat, he that 

18 And when he was come into the ship, he had been possessed with 2 devils besought 
that had been possessed with the devil prayed 19 him that he might be with him. And he 
him that he might be with him. sunered him not, but saith unto him, Go to 

19 Howbeit Jesus sunered him not, but saith thy house unto thy friends, and tell them 
unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for 
how great things the Lord hath done for thee, | 20 thee, and how he had mercy on thee. And 
and hath had compassion on thee. he went his way, and began to publish in 

20 And he departed, and began to publish in j Decapolis how great things Jesus had done 
Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for for him: and all men did marvel. 

him: and all men did marvel. 

1 Or, the demoniac. 2 Gr. demons. 

clothes. "On descending from the heights of Lebanon, I found myself," 
writes Warburton, " in a cemetery. . . . The silence of the night was now broken 
by fierce yells and howlings, which I discovered proceeded from a naked 
maniac, who was fighting with some wild dogs for a bone." Seeing the de- 
monized one sane and sound, they " were afraid," terrified, awe-struck, not 
from fear of further loss or bodily danger, but filled with religious terror. 

17. to depart out of their coasts'] many were doubtless annoyed at the 
losses they had already sustained, and feared greater losses might follow. 
" And their prayer was heard : he did depart ; he took them at their word ; 
and let them alone," (cf. Exod. x, 28, 29). — Trench. 

18. And when he was...] or, when he was stepping into the boat. 

that he might be with him] either (1) in a spirit of the deepest gratitude, 
longing to be with his benefactor; or, (2) fearing lest the many enemies, 
from whom he had been delivered, should return. Comp. Matt, xii, 44, 45. 

19. and tell them] he requires the man to declare his cure and the power 
of Jesus in Decapolis, since the people would not bear the presence of Jesus 
himself. On others (comp. Matt, viii, 4 ; Luke viii, 56) after shewing forth 
towards them his miraculous power, he enjoined silence. 

20. Decapolis] When the Romans conquered Syria, b. c. 65, they re- 
built, partially colonized, and endowed with certain privileges " ten cities," 
the region being called Decapolis, and which had been originally colonized 
by the veterans of Alexander the Great. All the cities lay, with the excep- 
tion of Scythopolis, east of the Jordan, and to the east and southeast of the 
Sea of Galilee. They were (but there is some variation in the lists), 1 Scy- 
thopolis (the largest) ; 2, Hippos ; 3, Gadara ; 4, Pella (to which the Chris- 
tians fled when Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus) ; 5, Philadelphia ; 6, 
Gerasa ; 7, Dion ; 8, Canatha ; 9, Raphana ; 10, Damascus. The name 
occurs three times in the Scriptures : (a) here ; (b) Matt, iv, 25 ; and (c) 
Mark vii, 31. It denoted a large district on both sides of the Jordan. 

Practical Suggestions.— " That evil spirits exist is as certain as the ex- 
istence of angels. They are in sympathy with Satan, their head, who is god 
of this world, in a limited sense, and at war with Christ's kingdom."— John 
Hall. Go to Jesus to be delivered from any form of evil. "Satan, as a 
master, is bad ; his_ work much worse ; and his wages worst of all. If Satan 
doth fetter us, it is indifferent to him whether it be by a cable or a hair ; nay, 
perhaps thesmallest sins are his greatest stratagems."— Fuller. " Many fly 
from this history as though the devils had entered into them and plunged 
them into a sea of unbelief."— Stier. " The greatest demoniac becomes a 
preacher of salvation to ten cities. In the dark land of Gadara Christ leaves 
for a while a representative, since they cannot bear his pprsonal presence." 
— Lange. "I doubt whether men who have been suddenly converted to 



?0 



people's commentary 



(Maek V, 21-2*. 



21 



Revised Veesion. 
And when Jesus had crossed over again in 



the boat unto the other side, a great multi- 
tude was gathered unto him: and he was by 

22 the sea. And there cometh one of the rulers 
of the synagogue, Ja'irus by name ; and see- 

23 ing him, he falleth at his feet, and beseech- 
eth him much, saying, My little daughter is 
at the point of death : I pray thee, that thou 
come and lay thy hands on her, that she may 

24 be 1 made whole, and live. And he went 
with him; and a great multitude followed 
him, and they thronged him. 

25 And a woman, which had an issue of blood 

26 twelve years, and had suffered many things 
of many physicians, and had spent all that 
she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather 

27 grew worse, having heard the things con- 
cerning Jesus, came in the crowd behind, 



Authorized Veesion. 

21 And when Jesus was passed over again by 
ship unto the other side, much people gathered 
unto him : and he was nigh unto the sea. 

22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers 
of the synagogue, J airus by name; and when he 
saw him, he fell at his feet, 

23 And besought him greatly, saj ing, My lit- 
tle daughter lieth at the point of death : I pray 
thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she 
may be healed ; and she shall live. 

24 And Jesiis went with him; and much peo- 
ple followed him, and thronged him. 

25 And a certain woman, which had an issue 
of blood twelve years, 

26 And had suffered many things of many phy- 
sicians, and had spent all that she had, and was 
nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 

27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the 
press behind, and touched his garment. 

1 Or, saved 

God in the army, the navy, the law, or the merchant's office, do not forsake 
their professions with undue precipitation, in order to become clergymen." 
— Ryle. The demoniac was not allowed to be with Jesus, but sent to his 
home. A converted man, wherever he is, should be a missionary to his 
fellow-men. " Though we. are not tortured by the devil, yet he holds us as 
his slaves, till the Son of God delivers us from his tyranny. Naked, torn 
and disfigured, we wander about, till he restores us to soundness of mind. It re- 
mains that, in magnifying his grace, we testify our gratitude." — John Calvin. 
21— 43. Jairus' s Daughter and the Woman with an Issue of Blood. 

21. unto the other side] i. e., the western side of the lake, near Capernaum. 

22. the rulers of the synagogue] " The Jews had three courts: (1) The 
great Sanhedrin # at Jerusalem ; (2) in cities having 120 men to bear office', 
the smaller council or Sanhedrin of 23 judges ; (3) in the smallest towns, a 
court of 3 judges. A synagogue was formed in places where there were 10 
students of the law ; and of these ten, three usually served as magistrates." 
See Lightfoot, Greswell, and Edersheim. Each synagogue had a kind of 
chapter or college of elders, presided over by a ruler, who superintended 
the services, and possessed the power of excommunication. From this, as 
well as Acts xiii, 15, it would appear that some synagogues had several 
rulers. 

Jairus by name] a Greek form of Jair (Judg. x, 3), with a Latin termination. 

28. My little daughter] His " only daughter" Luke viii, 42. The use 
of diminutives is characteristic of Mark. Here we have " little daughter ;" 
in v. 41, " Damsel," or " little maid; 17 in vii, 27, " dogs = little dogs," 
"whelps;" in viii, 7, a few u small fishes ,-" in xiv, 47, his ear, literally "a 
little ear." She was about twelve years of age, Luke viii, 42. Of the three 
persons who are mentioned as having been raised from the dead by Christ, 
one was the only son of a widow, one the only daughter of Jairus, and the 
third the only brother of the two sisters, Mary and Martha. 

at the point of death] the original word is one of the frequent Latinisms 
of Mark. She lay a dying (Luke viii, 42), and all but gone when he left her, 
life ebbing out so fast, that he could even say of her that she was " dead " 
(Matt, ix, 18), at one moment expressing himself in one language, at the 
next in another. 

25. a certain woman] " such overflowing grace is in him, the Prince of 
life, that as he is hastening to the accomplishing of one work of his power, he 
accomplishes another, as by the way." — Trench. 

an issue of blood] her malady (Lev. xv, 19-27), not only unfitted her for all 



Mark V, 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



71 



Revised Version. 

28 and touched his garment. For she said, If i 
touch but his garments, I shall be 1 made 

29 whole. And straightway the fountain of her 
blood was dried up; and she felt in her body 

30 that she was healed of her 2 plague. And 
straightway Jesus, perceiving in himself that 
the power proceeding from him had gone 
forth, turned him about in the crowd, and 

31 said. Who touched my garments? And his 
disciples said unto him, Thou seest the mul- 
titude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who 

32 touched me? And he looked round about 

33 to see her that had done this thing. But the 



Authorized Version. 

28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, 
I shall be whole. 

29 And straightway the fountain of her blood 
was dried up ; and she felt in her body that she 
was healed of that plague. 

30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in him- 
self that virtue had gone out of him, turned him 
about in the press, and said, Who touched my 
clothes? 

31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest 
the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, 
Who touched me? 

32 And he looked round about to see her that 
had done this thing. 

33 But the woman fearing and trembling, 

1 Or, saved. 2 Gr. scourge. 

the relationships of life, but was popularly regarded as the direct conse- 
quence of sinful habits. 

28. his garment] the law of Moses commanded every Jew to wear at 
each corner of his tallith a fringe or tassel of blue, to remind them that they 
were God's people (Num. xv, 37-40; Deut. xxii, 12). "Two of these 
fringes usually hung down at the bottom of the robe, while one hung over 
the shoulder where the robe was fastened round the person." Those who 
wished to be esteemed eminently religi- 
ous were wont to make broad, or "en- 
large, the borders of their garments " 
(Matt, xxiii, 5). 

29. of that plague] or, scourge ; see 
chap, iii, 10. She' " said." or literally, 
" was saying " this. " It is important, 
though difficult, to realize the situation 
of this woman, once possessed of health 
and wealth, and no doubt moving in re- 
spectable society, now beggared and 
diseased, without hope of human help, 
and secretly believing in the power of 
Christ to heal her." — Alexander. "Her 
case was such that she could not in mod- 
esty tell him publicly, as others did their 
grievances, and, therefore, she wished 
for a private cure, and her faith was 
suitpd to her case." — M. Henry. 

30. Who touched my clothes?] "Re 
meant to bring the woman to open 
avowal, for her highest good." — S. S. 
World. " Many throng him, but only 
one touches him." " Caro premit, fides 
tangit," says Augustine. 

31. he looked round] another proof 
of Mark's graphic power. The tense in 
the original is still more expressive. It 
denotes that he kept on looking all round, Kii!IE,ffl FEING ™ fe of 0™/**°°* TaTr ^ B 
that his eyes wandered over one after the 

other of the faces before him, till they fell on her who had done tins thing. 
33. fearing and trembling] she may have dreaded his anger, for, accord- 
ing to the law (Lev. xv, 19), the touch of one afflicted as she was caused 
ceremonial defilement until the evening. 




72 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark V, 34-39. 



Authorized Version. 
knowing what was done in her, came and fell 
down before him, and told him all the truth. 

34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith 
hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be 
whole of thy plague. 

35 While he yet spake, there came from the 
ruler of the synagogue's home certain which said, 
Thy daughter is dead ; why troublest thou the 
Master any further? 



Revised Version. 
woman fearing and trembling, knowing what 
had been done to her, came and fell down 

34 before him, and told him all the truth. And 
he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath 
1 made thee whole ; go in peace, and be whole 
of thy 2 plague. 

35 While he yet spake, they come from the 
ruler of the synagogue's home, saying, Thy 
daughter is dead: why troublest thou the 



As soon as Jesus heard the word that was ' 36 3 Master any further? But Jesus, 4 not heed- 
spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the syna- , ing the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of 
gogue, Be not afraid, only believe. I 37 the synagogue, Fear not, only believe. And 

37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save j he suffered no man to follow with him, save 
Peter, and James, and John the brother of Peter, and James, and John the brother of 
James. 38 James. And they come to the house of the 

38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of ruler of the synagogue ; and he beholdeth a 
the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them tumult, and many weeping and wailing 
that wept and wailed greatly. 39 greatly. And when he was entered in, he 

39 And when he was come in, he saith unto saith unto them, Why make ye a tumult, and 
them, Why make ye this ado, and weep ? the weep ? the child is not dead, but sleepeth. 
damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 

1 Or, saved thee 2 Gr. scourge. B Or, Teacher 4 Or, overhearing. 

told him] probably all the particulars in regard to her long affliction and 
fruitless employment of physicians (Luke viii, 47). ''This woman would 
have borne away a maimed blessing, hardly a blessing at all, had she been 
suffered to bear it away in secret and unacknowledged." 

34. Daughter] Our Lord is recorded to have addressed no other woman 
by this title. He sometimes addressed men as "Son.'' It calmed all her 
doubts and fears. 

go in peace] not merely "go with a blessing," but dbi in pacem = enter 
into peace, " as the future element in which thy life shall move," and be 
whole of thy plague. ''After a long sorrow a lasting blessing." — Bengel. 
" Without the legend of the later church, that she set up a brazen statue of 
Christ before her dwelling, in memory of this deed, we may well believe that 
she trusted Christ for all." — John Hall. 

35. why troublest thou the Master ?] the meaning is, Jesus might have 
helped you; he cannot raise her from the dead. Luke says (viii, 49), " trou- 
ble not the Master." The word translated "trouble," one which is used 
here, and here alone, by Mark and Luke (except Luke vii, 6), denotes prop- 
erly (1) to flay ; then (2) to fatigue or to worry, often with a more particu- 
lar allusion to fatiguing with the length of a journey. 

36. heard] or " not heeding" as in R. V., or, according to another 
authority, " overhearing," as in margin of R. V. The very instant the Lord 
heard the message, he hastens to reassure the ruler with a word of confidence 
and encouragement. 

37. save Peter, and James, and John] this is the first time we hear of 
this selection of the three. " That which he was about to do was so great 
and holy that those three only, the flower and crown of the apostolic band, 
were its fitting witnesses. " The other occasions when we read of such a 
selection are: (1) the transfiguration (Matt, xvii, 2) ; and (2) the agony in 
the garden of Gethsemane (Matt, xxvi, 37). 

38. them that wept and wailed] a verb from alala, the ancient war-cry, 
and used by Euripides and Xenophon, in the sense of crying out, sometimes 
with pain. They were the hired mourners, chiefly women, whose business 
it was to beat their breasts (Luke viii, 52), and to make loud lamentations at 
funerals ; comp. 2 Chron. xxxv, 25 ; Jer. ix, 17, 18 ; Amos v, 16. The 
Rabbinic rule provided for the poorest Israelite at least two flute players and 
one mourning woman. 

39. but sleepeth] comp. his words in reference to Lazarus (John xi, 11). 



Mabk V, 40-43 ; VI, 1, 2.] ON THE GOSPEL OP MARK. 



73 



Revised Version. 

40 And they laughed him to scorn. But he, 
having put them all forth, taketh the father 
of the child and her mother and them that 
were with him, and goeth in where the child 

41 was. And taking the child by the hand, he 
saith unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being 
interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise. 

42 And straightway the damsel rose up, and 
walked ; for she was twelve years old. And 
they were amazed straightway with a great 

43 amazement. And he charged them much 
that no man should know this: and he com- 
manded that something should be given her 
to eat. 

O And he went out from thence; and he 
cometh into his own country ; and his disciples 

2 follow him. And when the sabbath was 
come, he began to teach in the synagogue : 
and » many hearing him were astonished, 
saying, Whence hath this man these things? 



Authorized Version. 

40 And they laughed him to 6corn. But when 
he had put them all out, he taketh the father 
and the mother of the damsel, and them that 
were with him, and entereth in where the dam- 
sel was lying. 

41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and 
said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being in- 
terpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 

42 And straightway the damsel arose, and 
walked ; for she was of the age of twelve years. 
And they were astonished with a great aston- 
ishment. 

43 And he charged them straitly that no man 
should know it; and commanded that some- 
thing should be given her to eat. 

CHAP. VI. — And he went out from thence, 
and came into his own country ; and his 
disciples follow him. 

2 And when the sabbath day was come, he 
began to teach in the synagogue: and many 
hearing him were astonished, saying, From 
whence hath this man these things '! and what 
wisdom is this which is given unto him, that 
1 Some ancient authorities insert the. 

41. Talitha cumi'] Westcott and Hort read " raXetdd xoufi." " l Talei- 
iha Kum ' is not only the better reading, but the only one which corresponds 
to the Aramaic original... In the Talmud the same command, spoken to a wo- 
man, reads not ' kumi,' but ' kum,' and occurs in that form not less than 
seven times in one page (Shab. 1106)." — Edersheim. So also Teschendorf: 
But Canon Cook still insists on cumi, not cum, as the true reading. " The 
words express endearment; 'Little maiden, rise.' " Other Aramaic words 
given by Mark are: "Boanerges" (iii, 17);" Ephphatha " (vii, 34); 
"Abba" (xiv, 36.) 

42. And straightway the damsel arose] Luke says her spirit came again 
(viii, 55). There is no struggle, no effort, no crying "unto the Lord/' or 
stretching "himself upon the child three times," as in the case of Elijah at 
Sarepta (1 Kings xvii, 21). He speaks but a word and instantly the dead is 
alive again. 

a great astonishment] the word thus rendered denotes sometimes (1) a 
trance, as in Acts x, 10, " but while they made ready, he [Peter] fell into a 
trance"; and Acts xxii, 17, "while I prayed in the temple, I was in a 
trance," with which comp. 2 Cor. xii, 2 ; (2) amazement, awe, as in Luke 
v, 26, "and amazement seized all "; Mark xvi, 8, "trembling and amaze- 
ment seized them"; Acts iii, 10, "and they were filled with wonder and 
amazement." Here it points to the very extremity of astonishment. 

43. something should be given her to eat] to strengthen the life thus 
wonderfully restored, and to prove that she was not a spirit. 

Practical Lessons. — " We should act with as much energy as those who 
expect everything from themselves ; and we should pray with as much ear- 
nestness as those who expect everything from God." — Cotton. "Keep up 
a confidence in Christ and he will do what is best." — Henry. See what 
Jesus can do for dead souls ! " One touch of real faith can do more for the 
soul than a hundred self-imposed austerities." — Ryle. 

Ch. VI. 1-6. Rejected at Nazareth. A. D. 29. 

1. his own country] i. e. , in the sense of his family home, from Caper- 
naum to the region of Nazareth. 

2. to teach in the synagogue] This was the second rejection at Nazareth. 
See Matt xiii, 54. For his first visit see Luke iv, 16, etc. Jacobus describes 
the building now shown to travellers as this synagogue, which consists of a 



74 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mam VI, 3-5. 



Authorized Version. 
even such mighty works are wrought by his 



Revised Version. 
and, What is the wisdom that is given unto 
this man and what mean such a mighty 

3 works wrought by his hands ? Is not this 
the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother 
of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon ? 
and are not his sisters here with us ? And 
they were 2 offended in him. And Jesus 

4t said unto them, A prophet is not without 
honour, save in his own country, and among 

5 his own kin, and in his own house. And he 



3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, 
the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, 
and Simon ? and are not his sisters here with 
us? And they were offended at him. 

4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not 
without honour, but in his own country, and 
among his own kin, and in his own house. 

5 And he could there do no mighty work, 
1 Gr. powers. 2 Gr. caused to stumble. 

plain room 28x35 feet, with vaulted roof and two windows with arched heads 
on one side. It can scarcely be the synagogue of Christ's day. 

mighty works] or " powers," as in R. V. Some render, " and whence are 
such mighty works wrought." Others, as in R. V., " what mean such mighty 
works." This is one of the four names given by the Evangelists to the 
miracles: (1) " Wonders, 11 a term never used alone, but always in conjunc- 
tion with other names. (2) " Signs, 11 as being tokens and indications of the 
near presence and working of God, the seals and credentials of a higher 
power. (3) " Powers, 11 that is, of God, coming into and working in this 
world of ours. (4) " Works. 11 This is a significant term very frequently 
used by John. Comp. John vi, 28 ; vii, 21 ; x, 25, 32, 38. 

3. Is not this the carpenter f] The Greek word signifies any worker in 
wood, iron, or stone, but without the adjective it means, in Scripture, a 
worker in wood. Jesus is not elsewhere called the carpenter, but by Matthew 
(xiii, 55,) the carpenter's son. According to the custom of the Jews, even the 
Rabbis learned some handicraft. One of their proverbs was that " he who 
taught not his son a trade, taught him to be a thief." Paul was a tent- 
maker ; the famous Hillel a hewer of wood ; Rabbi Isaac was a blacksmith ; 
Rabbi Juda a tailor ; Rabbi Jochanan a shoemaker. Maimonides says that 
the holy place needed repairs, and great care should be taken that the car- 
penter or workman be a right priest. " In the cities the carpenters would 
be Greeks and skilled workmen ; the carpenter of a provincial village could 
Qnly have held a very humble position and secured a very moderate compe- 
tence." — Farrar. 

brother of James and Joses] (or "Joseph," as the Sinaitic MS. reads) 
There are three theories about the degree of relationship of these brothers 
(and also sisters): (1) That they were full brothers of Jesus, or younger 
children of Joseph and Mary. This is the simplest and most natural expla- 
nation. Comp. Matt, i, 25 ; xiii, 55. But reverence for the " Virgin Mary," 
and the feeling that shrinks from regarding her as the mother of other chil- 
dren, has led the Greek and other churches and some Protestant writers to 
propose, (2) that they were half brothers, i. e., children of Joseph by a 
former marriage ; held by the Greek Church and lately defended by Bishop 
Lightfoot ; or (3) That they were children of Clopas (or Alphaeus) and Mary, 
a supposed sister of the "Virgin Mary," and hence cousins of Jesus, as held 
by Jerome and the Romish Church. But this latter view does violence to 
the word " brother," and assumes that there were two sisters of the same 
name. A word for '' cousin " is used by N. T. writers, and it is fair to pre- 
sume they would have used it here, had they meant this instead of "broth- 
ers." See Renan Les Evangiles, pp. 537-549, and Canon Cook's note in 
Bib. Com'y, p. 73. 

4. A prophet is not without honor] so we have a similar proverb, "fa- 
miliarity breeds eontempt." He repeats almost the same proverb which he 
before uttered in their hearing, and from the same place (Luke iv, 24). 

5. no mighty work] literally, no power. " His power was not changed." 



Mark VI, 6-8.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 75 



Authorized Version. 
save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, 
and healed them. 

6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. 
And he went round about the villages, teaching. 

7 f And he called unto him the twelve, and 
bqgan to send them forth by two and two ; and 
gave them power over unclean spirits ; 

8 And commanded them that they should 
take nothing for their journey, save a 6taffonly; 



Revised Version. 
could there do no 1 mighty work, save that 
he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and 
healed them. And he marvelled because of 
their unbelief. 

And he went round about the villages 
teaching. 

And he called unto him the twelve, and 
began to send them forth by two and two ; 
and he gave them authority over the unclean 
spirits; and he charged them that they 
should take nothing for their journey, save a 
1 Gr. power. 

His miracles were not feats of magic, but presupposed belief and opportun- 
ity. If none believed, none would come to him ; hence he could do no 
mighty work. " Not because he was powerless, but they were faithless." — 
Theophylact. Bentley says because it was not fit and reasonable that he 
should. Le Clerc, that he could not consistently with his rules perform 
miracles. He performed some miracles, but not what he would have done. 
It teaches that faith is a condition of receiving help from Christ, for soul or 
body. 

few sick... healed] "What an amazing contest, that while we are endeav- 
oring by every possible method to hinder the grace of God from coming to 
us, it rises victorious and displays its efficacy in spite of all our exertions." 
— John Calvin. 

6. he marvelled] he marvels at faith in the centurion, and at unbe- 
lief in the face of numerous manifestations of divine power. He seems to 
have forsaken Nazareth from this time. 

went round] The unbelief of the Nazarenes, though his life-long acquaint- 
ances, did not stop the activity of Jesus. He began another circuit (proba- 
bly the third] in Galilee. 

Practical Lessons. — Men are apt to think little of things with which 
they are familiar. How great is our unbelief ! Jesus, as a carpenter and 
carpenter's son, put great honor upon mechanics. " Unbelief and contempt 
of Christ stop the current of his favors. " — M. Henry. "The unbelief of 
those who have the means of grace is most amazing." " I would rather 
dwell in the dim fog of superstition," says Richter, "than in air rarified to 
nothing by the air-pump of unbelief." "Jesus Christ professed to give a 
universal spiritual religion... to bless by its influence the whole family of 
man : and faith he set forth as the great motive power of the whole plan." 
— Walker Phil, of Plan of Salvation. 

7-13. Misstox of the Twelve. A. D. 29. 

7. he called] or, he calleth unto him. 

tioo and two] Matthew and Luke note the sending of the twelve. Mark 
says they were sent "by two and two," that they might support and encour- 
age each other. 

power over, etc.] " The man who is afraid, who holds down his head like 
a bulrush, is not the worker whom God will bless'; but God gives courage to 
him whom he means to use." — Moody. 

8. and commanded them] or " charged," as in R.V. Matthew gives the 
directions at greater length. Mark records a summary only of the commands. 

save a staff] Matthew x, 10 says, "nor yet staves," or "staff," as the 
margin and R.V. read. They were not to seek or procure a " staff" for this 
journey, for the meaning there depends on "provide," in verse 9. If one has 
a staff, let him take it, but let him not provide one specially. This explana- 
tion is strictly grammatical, and removes any apparent contradiction in the 
narratives. 



76 



PEOPLE S COMMENTARY 



[Mark VI, 9-11. 



Revised Version. 
staff only ; no bread, no wallet, no 1 money 
9 in their 2 purse ; but to go shod with sandals : 

10 and, said he, put not on two coats. And he 
said unto them, Wheresoever ye enter into a 

11 house, there abide till ye depart thence. And 
whatsoever place shall not receive you, and 
they hear you not, as ye go forth thence, 



Authorized Version. 
no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse : 

9 But be shod with sandals ; and not put on 
two coats. 

10 And he said unto them, In what place so- 
ever ye enter into a house, there abide till ye 
depart from that place. 

11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor 
hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the 

1 Gr. brass. 2 Gr. girdle. 

no scrip'] or "wallet." Scrip, from Sw. skreppa, denotes a " wallet" or 
" small bag." Comp. 1 Sam. xvii, 40. The scrip of the Galilean peasants 
was of leather, " the skins of kids stripped off whole, and tanned by a very 
simple process," used especially to carry their food on a journey, and slung 
over their shoulders. 

no money] the word signifies a piece of brass or bronze worth about a 
farthing, but is probably used here for any kind of money. " There was no 
departure from the simple manners of the country in this. At this day the 
farmer sets out on excursions quite as extensive, without a para in his purse, 
and a modern Moslem prophet of Tarshisha thus sends forth his apostles over 
this identical region. No traveller in the East would hesitate to throw him- 
self on the hospitality of any villager." — Thomson. _ 

9. with sandals'] not shoes, which would look like luxury, but the san- 
dals of the common people. "A shoe was of softer, a sandal of harder 





Sandals (see Chap. I). 
leather." — Talmud. "The Galilean peasants now wear a coarse shoe, an- 
swering to the sandal of the ancients, but never take two pair with them." 

two coats] tunics, or under garments having sleeves, and reaching to the 
knees. They were not to encumber themselves with changes of raiment. 
Canon Cook observes that persons of distinction usually wore two tunics, the 
under one of fine linen. 

10. there abide] " When a stranger arrives in a village or an encampment, 
the neighbors, one after another, must invite him to eat with them. There 
is a strict etiquette about it, involving much ostentation and hypocrisy ; and 
a failure in the due observance of this system of hospitality is violently re- 
sented, and often leads to alienation and feuds among neighbors... The Evan- 
gelists... were sent, not to be honored and feasted, but to call men to repent- 
ance, prepare the way of the Lord, and proclaim that the kingdom of heaven 
was at hand. They were, therefore, first to seek a becoming habitation to 
lodge in, and there abide until their work in that ci^ was accomplished." — 
Thomson. 

11* whosoever] or, "whatsoever place," as in R. V. 



Mark VI, 12-16.] ON THE GOSPEL OP MARK. 77 

Authorized Version. i Revised Version. 

dust under your feet for a testimony against I shake off the dust that is under your feet for 
them. Verily I say unto you, It shali be more 12 a testimony unto them. And they went out, 



tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day 
of judgment, than for that city. 

12 And they went out, and preached that men 
should repent. 

13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed 



13 and preached that men should repent. And 
they cast out many 1 devils, and anointed 
with oil many that were sick, and healed 
them. 

14 And king Herod heard thereof; for his 



with oil many that were sick, and healed them. name had become known : and 2 he said, 

14 And king Herod heard of him ; (for his name John 3 the Baptist is risen from the dead, and 
was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the > 15 therefore do these powers work in him. But 
Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore j others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It 
mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. 16 is a prophet, even as one of the prophets. But 

15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others Herod, when he heard thereof, said, John, 
said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the pro- 
phets. 

16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is 
John, whom I beheaded : he is risen from the 
dead. 

1 Gr. demons. a Some ancient authorities read they. a Gr. the Baptizer. 

the dust under your feet] for instances of the carrying out of this com- 
mand, compare the conduct of Paul at Antioch, in Pisidia, Acts xiii, 51, 
and at Corinth, Acts xviii, 6. The action must be regarded as symbolical 
of a complete cessation of all fellowship, and a renunciation of all further 
responsibility. The words, " Verily I say," etc., to the end of verse 11, are 
not found in four of the oldest MSS-. See R. V., which omits them without 
any note. 

13. anointed with oil} Mark alone mentions this anointing as the method 
whereby the healing of the sick was effected. Though not expressly ordered, 
it was doubtless implied in the injunction to " heal the sick " (Matt, x, 8). 
For the uses of oil for medicinal purposes, see Isa. i, 6 ; Jas. v, 14. This 
passage is cited by the Romish writers in favor of their pretended sacrament 
of extreme unction. The sick were not anointed because "in articulo 
mortis," but that they might be healed. The text gives no support to the 
Romish doctrine. Anointing with oil is a common practice of eastern 
physicians now. Calvin admits this, but thinks the anointing "was a 
visible token of spiritual grace.. .for under the law oil was employed to 
represent the grace of the Spirit." 

Practical Suggestions. — They preached repentance. Have we repented ? 
This, after all, is the great question. Christ would teach his ministers to 
unite and associate in doing his work. The work should be done for Christ. 
14-29. The Murder of John the Baptist. A. D. 29. 

14. And king Herod heard] that is, Herod Antipas, one of the three 
sons of Herod the Great, and who was tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea. 
He is here called " king," or " prince," in the ancient and wide sense of the 
word. Matt, (xiv, 1) and Luke (ix, 7) style him more exactly "the 
tetrarch." Antipas was banished to Gaul, a.d. 39, whither Herodias is said 
to have followed him, and both died in exile. 

his name] It is peculiar to Mark that he connects the watching of Herod 
Antipas with the work of Christ as extended by the preaching and miracles 
of his apostles. " A palace is late in hearing spiritual news." — Bengel. 

risen from the dead] The best authorities sustain the reading " he said"; 
"they said" is given by a few of lesser weight only. Herod's guilty con- 
science triumphed over his Sadducean profession of belief that there is no 
resurrection. Comp. Matt, xvi, 6 ; Mark viii, 15. 

16. It is John] The words in the original, according to the best MSS., 
are very striking. John whom I( = Imyself; the pronoun "has the em- 
phasis of a guilty conscience") beheaded — this is he — he is risen. See R. 



78 



people's commentary 



[Mark VI, 17-21. 



Authorized Version. 
IT For Herod himself had sent forth and laid 
hold upon John, and bound him in prison for 
Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife : for he 
had married her. 

18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not 
lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. 

19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against 
him, and would have killed him ; but she could 
not: 

20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he 
was a just man and a holy, and observed him; 
and when he heard him, he did many things, 
and heard him gladly. 

21 And when a convenient day was come, that 



Revised Version. 

17 whom I beheaded, he is risen. For Herod 
himself had sent forth and laid hold upon 
John, and bouud him in prison for the sake 
of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife: for he 

18 had married her. For John said unto Herod, 
It is not lawful for thee to have thy broth- 

19 er's wife. And Herodias set herself against 
him, and desired to kill him; and she could 

20 not; for Herod feared John, knowing that 
he was a righteous man and a holy, and kept 
him safe. And when he heard him, he * was 
much perplexed; and he heard him gladly. 

21 And when a convenient day was come, that 



1 Many ancient authorities read, did many things. 

V., which gives the same thought as the A. V. John was beheaded, proba- 
bly in the winter of A. D. 28, or the spring of 29. Josephus confirms the 
account of these forebodings when he tells us that after the utter defeat of 
Herod Antipas by Aretas, the people regarded it as a righteous retribution 
for the murder of John (Jos. Ant. xviii, 5, 1, 2). 

17. for Herodias'' sake] Herod himself had long been married to the 
daughter of Aretas, Emir of Arabia Petraea, but this did not prevent him 
from courting an adulterous alliance with Herodias, the wife of his brother 
Philip (not the tetrarch of Ituraea, but another Philip, living in private life). 
Herodias consented to become his wife, on condition that the daughter of 
the Arabian prince was divorced. But the latter, suspecting her husband's 
guilty passion, did not wait to be divorced, and indignantly fled to the castle 
of Machaerus, and thence to her father's rocky fortress at Petra, who forth- 
with assembled an army to avenge her wrongs, and defeated Herod, as 
already stated. 

18. For John had said] John boldly denounced the royal crimes (Luke 
iii, 19), and declared the marriage unlawful (Matt, xiv, 4). For this out- 
spoken faithfulness he was flung into prison, probably in the castle of 
Machasrus or "the Black Fortress" (though some say, in a fortress near 
Tiberias ; but Josephus is more likely to be correct). This castle had been 
built by Herod's father, in one of the most abrupt wadys to the east of the 
Dead Sea, to overawe the wild Arab tribes of the neighborhood. Though 
originally in the possession of Aretas, Herod had probably seized the fortress 
after the departure of his first wife to her father's stronghold at Petra (Jos. 
Ant. xviii, 5, 2). 

19. had a quarrel] or " had an inward grudge" against him. See also 
R. V. In Tyndale's and Cranmer's Versions it is rendered "laid waite for 
him" ; in the Rhemish, " sought all occasions against him." 

would have killed] The word in the original is much stronger, and denotes 
that she had a settled wish to kill him. Some Versions read " she sought, 11 
or " kept seeking" means to kill him. 

20. observed him] rather "kept him safe" from Herodias for a time; 
not "esteemed him," or " observed him." 

when he heard him] The Greek is still more emphatic; " he used to do 
many things, and used to listen to him gladly. ' ' But see R. V. , for a different 
reading ; this indicates the trouble arising from a guilty conscience. 

21. a convenient day] a suitable day for her fell purposes. " She doubt- 
less felt like another woman of her time, Fulvia, who forced her needle 
through the tongue of dead Cicero, as Agrippina did to the head of her rival, 
Lollia Paulina. " — John Hall. 



Mark VI, 22.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



79 



AtjThorized Version'. 
Herod on his birthday made a supper to his 
lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee ; 
22 And when the daughter of the said Herod- 
ias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and 
them that sat with him, the king said unto the 
damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I 
will give it thee. 



Revised Version. 
Herod on his birthday made a supper to hla 
lords, and the x high captains, and the chief 
22 men of Galilee ; and when 2 the daughter of 
Herodias herself came in and danced, 3 she 
pleased Herod and them that sat at meat 
with him ; and the king said unto the dam- 
sel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I 



1 Or, military tribunes. 
9 Or,it 



Gr., chiliarchs. 2 Some ancient authorities read, his daughter Herodias. 



on his birthday'] in imitation of the Roman emperors, the Herodian princes 
kept their birthdays with feasting and revelry and magnificent banquets. 
Wieseler, however, thinks the word denotes a feast celebrating Herod's 
accession, but this is more than doubtful. 

made a supper] probably at the castle of Machaerus, near the Dead Sea, 
where Josephus says John was imprisoned. The Roman poet, Persius, (A. 
D. 62) is supposed to refer to this occasion : 

" But when the feast of Herod's birthday comes, 
***** and in fear 
Thou keepest the sabbath of the circumcised, 
And then there rise dark spectres of the dead." 

lords] literally, great men ; high captains were properly tribunes, chili- 
archs (see note R. V.), or captains of thousands, though, strictly speaking, 
Herod had no chiliarchs. It is supposed that, at this time. Herod was collect- 
ing his forces to meet Aretas ; chief estates were men of first rank generally. 

22. the daughter of Herodias] her 
name was Salome : she afterwards mar- 
ried (1) Philip, the tetrarch, and then (2) 
Aristobulus, the king of Chalcis. "A 
luxurious feast of the period was not re- 
garded as complete unless it closed with 
some gross pantomimic representation ; 
and doubtless Herod had adopted the evil 
fashion of his day. But he had not anti- 
cipated for his guests the rare luxury of _-^z 
seeing a princess — his own niece, a grand- j 
daughter of Herod the Great and of Ma- 
riamne, a descendant, therefore, of Simon 
the High Priest, and the great line of 
Maccabaean princes — a princess who after- 
wards became the wife of a tetrarch, and 
the mother of a king — honoring them by 
degrading herself into a scenic dancer. " — 
Farrar. Of the oriental dance Thomson 
says, " They (the dancing girls) move for- 
ward and backward, and sidewise, now 
slowly, then rapidly, throwing their arms 
and heads about at random, and rolling 
the eye, and wriggling the body into vari- 
ous preposterous attitudes, languishing, 
lascivious, and sometimes indecent, and 
this is repeated over and over... The differ- 
ent sexes do not intermingle in these in- 
decorous sports." "A Dancing Gibl." 




80 



people's commentary 



[Maek VI, 23-27. 



Revised Version. 

23 will give it thee. And he sware unto her, 
Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give 

24 it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And 
she went out, and said unto her mother, 
What shall I ask? And she said, The head 
of John x the Baptist. And she came in 

25 straightway with haste unto the king, and 
asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give 
me in a charger the head of John L the Bap- 
tist. And the king was exceeding sorry ; but 

26 for the sake of his oaths, and of them that 
sat at meat, he would not reject her. And 

27 straightway the king sent forth a soldier of 
his guard, and commanded to bring his head : 



Authorized Version. 

23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou 
shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half 
of my kingdom. 

24 And she went forth, and said unto her mo- 
ther, What shall I ask? And she said, The head 
of John the Baptist. 

25 And she came in straightway with haste 
unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that 
thou give me by and by in a charger the head 
of John the Baptist. 

26 And the king was exceeding sorry ; yet for 
his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat 
with him, he would not reject her. 

27 And immediately the king sent an execu- 
tioner, and commanded his head to be brought : 

1 Gr. the Baptizer. 

23. unto the half of my kingdom] compare the words of Ahasuerus to 
Esther: " what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half 
of the kingdom " (Esther v, 3 ; vii, 2). "A shameful example truly, that a 
drunken king not only permits himself to behold with approbation a spec- 
tacle which was disgraceful to his family, but holds out such promise of re- 
ward. Let us, therefore, be careful in anticipating and resisting the devil, 
lest he entangle us in such snares." — John Calvin. 

24. The head of John the Baptist] the daughter retired to the women's 
apartment, which was separate from the men's. John's fidelity marred the 
pleasures of Herodias, and she saw that her hour was come. No jewelled 
trinket, no royal palace, no splendid robe, should be the reward of her 
daughter's feat — " Ask for the head of John." It was customary for princes 
to require the head of those they ordered to be executed brought to them, 
that they might be assured of their deaths. 

25. straightway with haste] observe the ready alacrity with which she 
proved herself a true daughter of her mother. The " by and by " is used in 
the sense of' forthwith," as in R. V., "immediately." See A. V. in Luke 
xviii, 8; xxi, 9; Matt, xiii, 21, and compare with R. V. 

a charger] old English for a " large dish," or platter. Fuller speaks of a 
silver charger of Oswald, King of Northumberland. The Greek word first 
meant a board, then a wooden dish, and later a platter of any kind. 

26. exceeding sorry] "as if," tersely says Calvin, "it were more dis- 
honorable to retract a rash and foolish promise than to persist in a heinous 
crime." The Greek word is very strong, and denotes very great grief and 
sorrow. It is used of the rich young ruler (Luke xviii, 23), and of Jesus 
(Matt, xxvi, 38). It was an ill omen among the Romans to take away life 
on one's birthday. " The devil is remorseless to his servants." Herod is 
horrified, but his oath had been witnessed by his generals and boon compan- 
ions ; the code of honor must be obeyed. 

27. an executioner], a soldier of the guard. The Greek word (ncexouXd- 
riopa denotes (1) a looker-out, a spy, scout ; (2) a special adjutant, soldier of 
the guard. These scouts formed a special division in each legion ; but under 
the emperors a body bearing this name was specially appointed to guard the 
emperor and execute his commands (Tac. Hist. I, 24, 25 ; II, 11 ; Suet. 
Claud, xxxv.). Hence, they were often employed as special messengers in 
seeking out those who were proscribed or sentenced to death (Seneca, de Ira 
I, 16).^ In the earlier English Versions the word is rendered "hangman," 
but this term describes a mere accident of his office. The use of a military 
term, compared with Luke iii, 14, is in accordance with the fact that Herod 
was at this time making war on Aretas (Jos. Antia. xviii, 5, 1). 



Mark VI, 28-34.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



81 



Revised Version. 
and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 
and brought his head in a charger, and gave 

28 it to the damsel ; and the damsel gave it to 

29 her mother. And when his disciples heard 
thereof, they came and took up his corpse and 
laid it in a tomb. 

30 And the apostles gather themselves to- 
gether unto Jesus; and they told him all 
things, whatsoever they had done, and what- 

31 soever they had taught. And he saith unto 
them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert 
place, and rest a while. For there were 
many coming and going, and they had no 

32 leisure so much as to eat. And they went 
away in the boat to a desert place apart. 

33 And the people saw them going, and many 
knew them, and they ran there together 1 on 
foot from all the cities, and outwent them. 

34 And he came forth and saw a great multitude, 
and he had compassion on them, because they 
were as sheep not having a shepherd: and 

35 he began to teach them many things. And 



Authorized Version. 
and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 

28 And brought his head in a charger, and 
gave it to the damsel : and the damsel gave it to 
her mother. 

29 And when his disciples heard of it, they 
came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. 

30 And the apostles gathered themselves to- 
gether unto Jesus, and told him all things, both 
what they had done, and what they had taught. 

31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves 
apart into a desert place, and rest awhile : for 
there were many coming and going, and they 
had no leisure so much as to eat. 

32 And they departed into a desert place by 
Bhip privately. 

33 And the people saw them departing, and 
many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of 
all cities, and outwent them, and came together 
unto him. 

34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much 
people, and was moved with compassion toward 
them, because they were as 6heep not having 

1 Or, by land 

beheaded him'] this implies that the prison was near and the execution 
done promptly. 

29. laid it in a tomb] and then "went and told Jesus " (Matt, xiv, 12). 
Herod, no doubt, gave the body to John's disciples, for this would accord 
with his feelings toward the intrepid preacher. There is no ground for the 
tradition noticed by Jerome, that Herod flung the headless body over the 
prison walls. At Samaria, in the crypt of a ruined church, the pretended 
tomb of the Baptist is shown to credulous travellers. 

Practical Suggestions. — What amazing power has truth over the con- 
science of even wicked men ! Men may hear, yet not heed, the truth. Evil 
men are haunted by the thoughts of their evil deeds. Bad men may rever- 
ence good men. Christians who would be faithful to God must not fear the 
face of man. A wicked daughter readily obeys the desires of a wicked mother. 

30-44. Return of the Twelve. Five Thousand Fed. A. D. 29. 

30. gathered themselves together] Here, for the first time, the text of all 
the four Gospels runs parallel. 

_ 31. there were many coming and going] the passover was now nigh (John 
vi, 4), and the pilgrim companies would be moving towards the Holy City. 

32. into a desert place] it was not safe for Jesus to remain openly in the 
territory of Antipas. They crossed the Lake of Gennesaret (John vi, 1) and 
proceeded in the direction of Bethsaida, at its northeastern corner (Luke ix, 
10), just above the entrance of the Jordan into it. Bethsaida was enlarged, 
by Herod Philip, not long after the birth of Christ. He raised it to the dig- 
nity of a town, and called it Julias, after Julia, the daughter of Augustus. 
Philip occasionally resided there, and there died and was buried in a costly 
tomb (Jos. Antiq. xviii, 4, 6). 

33. the people saw them] comp. the R. V. Some authorities read, "many 
saw them departing, and understood it," as Alford, Lachmann, and Tregel- 
les ; others read the last clause, " and knew them," as Tischendorf. There 
is close similarity of thought in all these readings. 

34. he came out] either from the boat, or from his place of retirement, 
as implied in John vi, 3. He went up a hill, and then saw the crowd. John 
^ives an important item of information ; the passover was nigh, and hence 
the crowds thronging about Jesus. 

6 



82 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark VI, 35-39. 



Revised Version. 

35 he began to teach them many things. And 
when the day was now far spent, his disci- 
ples came unto him, and said, The place is 

36 desert, and the day is now far spent : send 
them away, that they may go into the coun- 
try and villages round about, and buy them- 

37 selves somewhat to eat. But he answered 
and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. 
And they say unto him, Shall gve go and buy 
two hundred 1 pennyworth of bread, and give 

38 them to eat ? And he saith unto them, How 
many loaves have ye ? go and see. And when 
they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. 

39 And he commanded them that all should 
8 sit down by companies upon the green 



Authorized Version. 
a shepherd : and he began to teach them many 
things. 

35 And when the day was now far spent, his 
disciples came unto him, and said, This is a des- 
ert place, and now the time is far passed : 

36 Send them away, that they may go into the 
country round about, and into the villages, and 
buy themselves bread : for they have nothing to 
eat. 

37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye 
them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we 
go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, 
and give them to eat ? 

38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have 
ye? go and see. And when they knew, they 
say, Five, and two fishes. 

39 And he commanded them to make all sit 
down by companies upon the green grass. 

1 See marginal note on Matt, xviii, 28 ; which reads " The word in the Greek denotes a coin 
worth about eight pence halfpenny,' 1 that is about 17 cents. 2 Gr. recline. 

many things'] L e., "he spent a long time in preaching, that they might 
reap some lasting advantage." — Calvin. 

35. desert place] the locality was probably part of the rich but uninhab- 
ited plain below where the Jordan enters the sea of Galilee. 

37. Shall we go and buy] with one voice they seem to have reiterated 
what Philip had said earlier in the day. See R. V. in John vi, 5-7. 
The question of bread for the hungry, how often it is asked in this land of 
plenty ! " It is the echo of a deeper question from starving souls... And both 
puzzle disciples to this day. How shall we deal with pauperism, and how 
with ignorance ? Let disciples learn at Once their own impotence, the wis- 
dom of doing all they can and leaving the rest to the Master." — John Hall. 

two hundred pennyworth] the speci- 
fying of this sum is peculiar to Mark 
and John. The word translated penny 
I is the denarius, a silver coin of the value 
originally of 10 and afterwards of 16 
ases. The denarius was first coined in 
B. C. 269, or four years before the first 
Punic war, and originally was of the 
««*»*«■• value of 16 or 17 cents of our money; 

later, it =15 cents. It was the day wages of a laborer in Palestine (Matt. 
xx, 2, 9, 13). "It so happens that in almost every case where the word 
denarius occurs in the N. T., it is connected with the idea of a liberal or 
large amount ; and yet, in these passages, the English rendering names a 
sum which is absurdly small." — Lightfoot. 

38. go and see] this does not imply that Jesus was ignorant of what 
was in their possession, but rather that he wished to try their faith. They 
found a lad who had^ye barley loaves, and two small fishes, which they could 
secure. They were only barley loaves (John vi, 9), the food even then, for 
the most part, of the poor and the unfortunate. Comp. 2 Kings vii, 1. 

39. by companies] literally, drinking, parties. The word alludes to an 
orderly social grouping. The words are repeated by a Hebraism in the origi- 
nal, like the "two and two " of ver. 7. 

upon the green grass] this fact aids in fixing the season of the year when 
the miracle was performed. Andrews assigns it to the month of April, A. 
D. 29. Mark alone mentions the green grass, "still fresh in the spring of 
the year, before it had faded away in the summer sun." It was near the 




Mark VI, 40-43.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



83 



Revised Version. 

40 grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hun- 

41 dreds, and by fifties. And he took the five 
loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to 
heaven, he blessed, and brake the loaves ; and 
he gave to the disciples to set before them ; 
And the two fishes divided he among them 

42 all. And they did all eat, and were filled. 

43 And they took up broken pieces, twelve bas- 



much 



Authorized Version. 

40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, 
and by fifties. 

41 And when he had taken the five loaves and 
the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and 
blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to 
his disciples to set before them ; and the two 
fishes divided he among them all. 

42 And they did all eat, and were filled. 

43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the 
fragments, and of the fishes. 

passover, corresponding to our March or April, hence there was 
grass in the place;' 1 ' 1 comp. John vi, 10. 

40. in ranks'] literally, in beds (as of a garden) or in rows, i. e., they 
reclined in parterres (areolatim). " Our English ' in ranks ' does not repro- 
duce the picture to the eye, giving rather the notion of continuous lines. 
Wyclif was better, ' by parties ;' perhaps in groups would be as near as we 
could get to it in English." — Trench. Mark doubtless reproduces the de- 
scription of the scene by Peter himself. 

by hundreds, and by fifties'] "Two long rows of one hundred, a shorter 
one of fifty persons. The fourth side remained, after the manner of the 
tables of the ancients, empty and open." — Gerlach. Rabbi Eliezer is said 
to have arranged his hearers or disciples in a similar manner. 

41. blessed] probably the customary grace said before meals by the 
Jews. The Greek verb primarily means to speak well of, but is applied to 
the asking for divine favors upon others ; praising God for such favors ; and 
to the act of God in granting favors to men. 

and brake the loaves, and gave 
them to his disciples] in the East 
bread is always spoken of as bro- 
ken, never as having been cut. The 
first of these words implies an in- 
stantaneous, the second a continu- 
ous act. The multiplication of the 
loaves and fishes was continuous 
in the hands of Christ between the 
acts of breaking and distributing 
the bread. Comp. 2 Kings iv. 
42-44. 

43. baskets] There were twelve 
baskets full of fragments, or one 
for each of the disciples. All the 
Evangelists use xoyivoq for the 
small, common wicker-baskets, in 
which these fragments were col- 
lected, at the feeding of the five 
thousand, and the word a-upiq = 
or large rope-basket, when they 




describe the feeding of the four 
thousand. Watson and Mimpriss 
have strangely mistaken the " spu- 
rides'' for the smaller hand-bas- 



fishes of the sea of galilee. {After Tristram ) 

1 Chromis Nilotica. 

2 Clarias Macracanthus. 

3 Labeobarbus Canis. 

kets," and the other for the larger basket sometimes used to rest upon, 
while, according to the best authorities, the reverse was the fact. The 
wicker baskets were the common possession of the Jews, in which to carry 
their food, in order to avoid pollution with heathens; " Judctis, quorum 



84 



people's commentary 



[Mark VI, 44-47. 



Authorized Version. 

44 And they that did eat of the loaves were 
about five thousand men. 

45 And straightway he constrained his disci- 
ples to get into the ship, and to go to the other 
side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away 
the people. 

46 And when he had sent them away, he de- 
parted into a mountain to pray. 

47 And when even was come, the ship was in 
the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. 



Revised Version. 

44 ketfuls, and also of the fishes. And they 
that ate the loaves were five thousand men. 

45 And straightway he constrained his disci- 
ples to enter into the boat, and to go before 
him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while 

46 he himself sendeth the multitude away. And 
after he had taken leave of them, he departed 

47 into the mountain to pray. And when even 
was come, the boat was in the midst of the 



cophinus foenumque supellex." Juv. Sat. in, 14. The same distinction is 
made by our Lord when he alludes to both miracles (Mark viii. 19, 20 ; Matt. 
xvi. 9, 10). 

44. Jive thousand men] Observe the E. V. omits "about." Mark uses 
a word which excludes women and children, and Matthew states beside 
women and children (xiv. 21), who would not sit down with the men, but sit 
or stand apart. "The women and children would probably be few, not, as 
sometimes fancied, 5000 more." The Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and 
Ethiopic versions omit tk about," and read " five thousand" definitely. 

Practical Suggestions. — Go and tell Jesus our trouble. Come and rest 
Awhile. So Christ knows the fears of some, and the toils of others of his 
disciples. He gives refuge for the terrified and rest for the tired. A desert 
place — but the presence of Christ will change a desert into a paradise. Jesus 
praying— we have little because we ask for little. " Let us not fear to lose 
earthly in search of heavenly comfort." — John Hall. 

45—52. Walking on the Water. A.D. 29. 

45. And straightway'] This miracle made a deep impression on the 
people. It was the popular expectation that the Messiah would repeat the 
miracles of Moses, and this " bread of wonder," of which they had just par- 
taken, recalled to the multitudes the manna. They would have taken Jesus 
by force and made him a king (John vi. 14, 15). To defeat this intention 
the Saviour bade his apostles take a boat and cross over the Lake. 

unto Bethsaida] Bethsaida, the town of Philip, Andrew, and Peter (John 
i, 44). Macgregor, after careful examination, holds to the theory that there 
were two Bethsaidas, and that this voyage was from the Plain of Batihah 
near Bethsaida Julius to Khan Minyeh, near the other supposed Bethsaida. 
Thomson believes the miracle was on this plain, but disputes the theory of 
two Bethsaidas, a theory advocated if not invented by Keland and adopted 
by some others, but not really required by the Gospel narrative, and not 
sufficiently supported by historical and topographical facts. If there were 
two Bethsaidas, upon which of them was the woe pronounced ? But Jesus 
gives no intimation in his work of two Bethsaidas. Andrews places the scene 
of this miracle four or five miles southeast of the Jordan, and therefore, 
only seven or eight miles from Capernaum. The boat in returning would 
then go across the northeast corner of the Lake to Bethsaida. 

46. a mountain to pray] or, "the mountain," one well known and fre- 
quented. How often Jesus is thus said to have retired for prayer ! _ What an 
example to disciples in this busy commercial age ! What mountain it was, 
is unknown. 

47. in the midst of the sea] i. e., out at sea, it does not imply that they 
were in the middle or centre of the lake. Toiling the entire night, they had not, 
in consequence of contrary winds (John vi. 18), gone more than three or four 
miles (see John vi, 19), something more than half of their way, when one of 



Mark VI, 48-51.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 85 

Authoeized Version. Revised Version. 

48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the 48 sea, and he alone on the land. And seeing 
wind was contrary unto them : and about the them distressed in rowing, for the wind was 
fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, ! contrary unto them, about the fourth watch 
walking upon the sea, and would have passed • of the night he cometh unto them, walking 
by them. on the sea; and he would have passed by 

49 But when thev saw him walking upon the 49 them: but they, when they saw him walking 
sea, they supposed' it had been a spirit, and cried on the sea, supposed that it was an appari- 
ou t : , 50 tion, and cried out : for they all saw him, and 

50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. were troubled. But he straightway spake 
And immediatelv he talked with them, and with them, and saith unto them, Be of good 
saith unto them,"Be of good cheer : it is I ; be 51 cheer : it is I ; be not afraid. And he went 
not afraid. up unto them into the boat ; and the wind 

51 And he went up unto them into the ship; | ceased: and they were sore amazed in them- 
and the wind ceased: and they were sore 

amazed in themselves beyond measure, and 
wondered. I 

the sudden storms, to which the Lake is subject, rushed down from the 
mountains. See above, iv. 37. 

48. he saw them toiling in rowing'] the word translated "toiling," 
"distressed," in R. V. occurs in Matt, xiv, 24, and is a striking expression. 
It denotes (1) to test metals, (2) to rack, torture, (3) to torment as in Matt, 
viii, 6, 29. Here it seems to imply that they were tortured, baffled, by the 
waves, which were boisterous by reason of the strong wind that blew (John 
vi, 18). Wyclif translates it k ' travailing in rowing;" Tyndale and Cran- 
mer, " troubled in rowing." 

the fourth watch] the proper Jewish reckoning recognized only three 
watches: (1) from sunset to 10 p.m (Lam. ii, 19), (2) themiddle watch, from 
10 p.m. to 2 a.m. (Judges vii, 19), and (3) the morning watch, from 2 a.m. to 
sunrise (Ex. xiv, 24; 1 Sam. xi, 11). After the Roman supremacy the 
number of watches was increased to four, sometimes described by their nu- 
merical order, as here and in Mark xiii, 35 ; Matt, xiv, 25 : sometimes by 
the terms, even, midnight, cock-crowing, morning. In eight or nine hours' 
rowing they had made only three or four miles. 

walking upon the sea] not upon the shore by the sea, as some rationalists 
would interpret it, but on the sea, as the context unmistakably implies. 

would have passed by them] Jesus came quite near their vessel on the 
storm-tost waves, and as if to go by them or to lead the way before them to 
the western shore. Comp. Luke xxiv, 28, 29. " Cried out" is the same 
word used to express the cries of persons possessed of evil spirits. 

49. a spirit] so they thought on the eve of the resurrection. See Luke 
xxiv, 36, 37. Wyclif translates it " they gessiden him for to be a fantum ;" 
Tyndale and Cranmer "a sprete ;" the Rhemish " a ghost." 

50. be not afraid] is connected with " Be of good courage." The latter 
is represented by a single Greek word, used in Homer, and requires a more 
expressive rendering. "Take courage," or " Cheer up," indicates the 
graphic style of the Greek. Mark does not record Peter's attempt to go 
to his Lord upon the Lake, which is narrated only by Matthew, xiv, 28-30. 

51« they were sore amazed] a strong expression. The A. V. adds " and 
wondered," and " at him," the Ethiopic version further adds. These are 
omitted, however, in the R. V. The Greek does not imply that they were 
"grievously" or "sorely" amazed, i. e., not the quality but the extent of 
their amazement is meant, and agrees with the English "much amazed," 
more thau they had any good reason to be ; as the next verse states. Mat- 
thew, xiv, 33, says that a similar impression was made on those who were 
with them in the boat, i. e., probably the crew. Not only did they approach 
him with an outward unforbidden gesture of worship, "but they avowed for 
the first time collectively what one of them had long since separately declared 
him "to be, the Son of God " (Matt, xiv, 33 : comp. John i, 49). — Ellicott. 



[Mark VI, 52-VII, 1. 



Authorized Version. 

52 For they considered not the miracle of the 
loaves ; for their heart was hardened. 

53 And when they had passed over, they came 
into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the 
shore. 

54 And when they were come out of the ship, 
straightway they knew him, 

55 And ran through that whole region round 
about, and began to carry about in beds those 
that were sick, where they heard he was. 

56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, 
or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the 
streets, and besought him that they might touch 
if it were but the border of his garment : and as 
many as touched him were made whole. 

CHAP. VII.— Then came together unto him 
the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, 
which came from Jerusalem. 



Revised Version. 

52 selves ; for they understood not concerning 
the loaves, but their heart was hardened. 

53 And when they had 1 crossed over, they 
came to the land unto Gennesaret, and moored 

54 to the shore. And when they were come out 
of the boat, straightway the people knew him, 

55 and ran round about that whole region, and 
began to carry about on their beds those that 

56 were sick, where they heard he was. And 
wheresoever he entered, into villages, or into 
cities, or into the country, they laid the sick 
in the marketplaces, and besought him that 
they might touch if it were but the border 
of his garment: and as many as touched 
2 him were made whole. 

7 And there are gathered together unto him 
the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, 



1 Or, crossed over to the land, they came unto Gennesaret 2 Or, it 

52. hardened] this rather implies dullness of apprehension than spiritual 
and wilful hardness of heart. See note above, iii, 5. They failed to see the 
divine power of Jesus. 

Practical Suggestions. — Sometimes when believers most need Christ's 
presence they are most affrighted if he really comes to them. We often 
know not Christ until he is pleased to reveal himself to us. How often are 
we frightened by creatures of our imagination! Christ's presence gives 
confidence, though storms and darkness are about us on the sea of life. 
53—56. Miracles in Gennesaret. A.D. 29. 

53. the land of Gennesaret] Gennesaret is only mentioned here and in 
Matt, xiv, 34. It is the same as the modern el-Ghuweir, a fertile, crescent- 
shaped plain, on the northwestern shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, about 
three miles in* length and one in width. From its sheltered situation and 
especially from its depression of more than 500 feet below the level of the 
ocean, its climate is almost of a tropical character. Josephus speaks of it 
as if it were an earthly paradise, in which every kind of useful plant grew 
and flourished. Jos. B. J. in, 10, 8. See Schaff's Bible Diet. 

drew to the shore] "Moored," or, as Tyndale and Cranmer translate it, 
li drew up into the haven." It is a nautical term not elsewhere used in the 
New Testament. 

54. knew him] the people, not the disciples, for the latter had recognized 
him before. The A. V. is misleading, see R. V. 

55. in beds] a sort of mat, mattress, or common rug. See Schaff's 
Bible Diet. 

56. but the border of his garment] the numbers that pressed upon him 
seemed almost too large to be healed singly, therefore many begged that they 
might be allowed to touch if it were but the border of his garment. (For cut 
of garment see p. 71). Comp. v. 27. Soon after followed the ever memor- 
able discourse in the synagogue of Capernaum respecting the Bread of Life 
(John vi, 22-65). The "streets," more accurately, are " market places," 
as in R. V. 

Ch. VII. 1 — 23. The Pharisees and Traditions of Eating. A.D. 29. 
1. Then came together] Assigning this event to the time of the passover 
or near it, i. e., April, A.D. 29, then, with Andrews, Schaff, and some others, 
it may be regarded as coming at the beginning of the history of the last year 
of our Lord's ministry. Alexander notes that "this incident naturally 
brings to view the constant and intrusive surveillance to which our Lord and 
his disciples were subjected." 



JIark VII, 2-4.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



87 



Revised Version. 

2 which had come from Jerusalem, and had 
seen that some of his disciples ate their 
bread with » defiled, that is, unwashen, 

3 hands. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, 
except they wash their hands * diligently, 
eat not, holding the tradition of the elders ; 

4 and when they come from the marketplace, 
except they 3 wash themselves, they eat not ; 
and many other things there be, which they 
have received to hold, * washings of cups, 



Aitthorized Version. 

2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat 
bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, 
hands, they found fault. 

3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except 
they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the 
tradition of the elders. 

4 And when they come from the market, except 
they wash, they eat not. And many other things 
there be, which they have received to hold, as 
the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, 
and of tables. 

1 Or, common 2 Or, up to the elbow Gr. with the fist. 3 Gr. baptize Some ancient authori- 
ties read sprinkle themselves. 4 Gr. baptizings. 

2. with defiled, that is to say, unwashen hands] thus Mark explains for 
his Roman readers, and then more fully sets forth certain Jewish usages. 
The words, " they found fault," are omitted by the best authorities, and the 
reading in them is given in the R. V., which see. 

3. except they wash their hands oft] oft, literally, with their fist, instead of 
the open hand, lest washing one hand with the other open hand would render 
it unclean, or, (2) up to the wrist to 
insure ceremonial cleanliness, or, (3) it 
maybe "diligently" or 4 ' thoroughly," 
as in the Revised Version. The second 
is the most probable meaning. " When 
they washed their hands, they washed 
the fist unto the jointing of the arm.' 
The hands are polluted, and made clean 
unto the jointing of the arm." — Light- 
foot. When water was poured on the 
hands, they had to be lifted, yet so that 
the water should neither run up above 
the wrist, nor back again upon the 
hand. " Unwashed," not dirty hands, but ceremonially unclean. 

eat not] "the Jews of later times related with intense admiration how 
the Rabbi Akiba, when imprisoned and furnished with only sufficient water 
to maintain life, preferred to die of starvation rather than eat without the 
proper washings." Buxtorf; quoted by Farrar and Geikie. 

the tradition of the elders] the Rabbinical rules about ablutions occupy 
a large portion of one section of the Talmud. The oral law or traditions, 
the Jews pretended were handed down through Moses and Joshua. The Tal- 
mud is composed of two, or properly, of three portions: (1) the Mishna, 
compiled by Rabbi Jehudah, in the second century. To this two commen- 
taries were added, as (2) the Gemara of Jerusalem, completed in the fourth 
century, and (3) the Gemara of Babylon, completed about A.D. 500. 

4. except they xoash] "wash," or literally, "baptize themselves," in 
contrast with washing only the hands, in v. 3. The American revisers pre- 
ferred to read "bathe," instead of "wash," and Meyer interprets it, "to 
take a bath." " Market," or " market place," is not to be restricted to the 
place where fond is sold ; it includes the place of public meeting, like the 
Latin fcrum. See R. V. 

pots] the original word is regarded as one of Mark's Latinisms, and a 
corruption of the Latin sextarius, a Roman measure both for liquids and dry 
things, and holding about a pint. In Tyndale's and Cranmer's Versions it 
is translated " cruses." Earthen vessels were broken ; those of metal and 
wood scoured and rinsed with water. See Lev. xv, 12. 

tables] " and of tables " is omitted in several MSS. ; see R. V. The bet- 




WASHING HANDS. 



88 



people's commentary 



[Mark VII, 5-14. 



Revised Version. 

5 and pots, and brasen vessels 1 . And the Phari- 
sees and the scribes ask him, Why walk not 
thy disciples according to the tradition of the 
elders, but eat their bread with 2 defiled 

6 hands ? And he said unto them, Well did 
Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is 
written, 

This people honoureth me with their lips, 
But their heart is far from me. 

7 But in vain do they worship me, 
Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of 

men. 

8 Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold 

9 fast the tradition of men. And he said unto 
them, Full well do ye reject the command- 
ment of God, that ye may keep your tradi- 

10 tion. For Moses said, Honour thy father and 
thy mother; and, He that speaketh evil of 
father or mother, let him 3 die the death : 

11 but ye say, If a man shall say to his father 
or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest 
have been profited by me is Corban, that" is 

12 to say, Given to God, ye no longer suffer 
him to do aught for his father or his mother: 

13 making void the word of God by your tradi- 
tion, which yc have delivered: and many 

14 such like things ye do. And he called to 
him the multitude again, and said unto them, 



Authorized Version. 

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, 
Why walk not thy disciples according to the 
tradition of the elders, but eat bread with un- 
washen hands ? 

6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath 
Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is 
written, This people honoureth me with their 
lips, but their heart is far from me. 

7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teach- 
ing for doctrines the commandments of men. 

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, 
ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of 
pots and cups : and many other such like things 
ye do. 

9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject 
the commandment of God, that ye may keep 
your own tradition. 

10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy 
mother ; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, 
let him die the death : 

11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father 
or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by 
whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me ; he 
shall be free. 

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for 
his father or his mother ; 

13 Making the word of God of none effect 
through your tradition, which ye have deliv- 
ered : and many such like things do ye. 

14 f And when he had called all the people unto 
him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every 
one of you, and understand : 

1 Many ancient authorities add, and couches. 2 Or, common 3 Or, surely die 

ter translation is " couches," the wide, low benches which were placed near 
the tables and on which the guests reclined. These couches had to be care- 
fully washed, for a heathen might have lain on them and defiled them. 

6. Well hath Esaias] or full well did Isaiah prophesy of you. li Well " 
is said in irony. This expression recurs in v. 9, "Full well ye reject" = 
" finely do ye set at naught and obliterate." 

This people honoureth me] The words are found in Isaiah xxix, 13. 

8. tradition of men] God's commands in contrast with the rules of men. 
Lange suggests that, underlying the rigorous enforcement of tradition, there 
was a half conscious repugnance to God's law. The best MSS. omit the rest 
of verse 8. See Revised Version. 

9. keep your own] This implies watching, guarding their traditions, while 
inverses 3, 4, and 8, "hold" implies an obstinate clinging to custom or 
opinion. 

10. Honour thy father] The words are quoted partly from Ex. xx, 12, 
and partly from Ex. xxi, 17. The thought is quoted with precision, but not 
the form, though the verbal variation is slight. 

11. If a man shall say] See the Revised Version. Corban is a Hebrew 
word peculiar to Mark, though often used in Leviticus and Numbers, where 
it is rendered "offering," and "oblation." Lev. ii, 1, 5; Num. vii, 3, 5. 
Alexander remarks, " that such things were permitted and applauded, may 
be proved by certain dicta of the Talmud." 

13. your tradition] The Jews venerated tradition, as shown by this as- 
sertion current among them ; " The law is like salt, the Mishna like pepper, 
the Gemara like balmy spice." — Buxtorf 

14-. all the people] or "called the multitude again." Wyclifhas it in 
his Version, " and he eftsone clepinge to the cumpanye of peple." Tyndale 
renders it as in the A. V. See R. V. 



Mark Vn, 15-22.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 89 



Authorized Version. 

15 There is nothing from without a man, that 
entering into him can defile him : but the things 
which come out of him, those are they that de- 
file the man. 

16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear, 



15 Hear me all of you, and understand : there 
is nothing from without the man, that going 
into him can defile him: but the things 
which proceed out of the man are those that 

17 defile the man. 1 And when he was entered 



IT \nd when he was entered into the house | into the house from the multitude, his disci- 

from the people, his disciples asked him con- 18 pies asked of him the parable. And he saith 

cernin°- the parable. unto them, Are ye so without understanding 

18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without also? Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from 
understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that without goeth into the man, it cannot defile 
whatsoever thing from without entereth into 19 him ; because it goeth not into his heart, but 
the man, it cannot defile him ; into his belly, and goeth out into the draught? 

19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but 20 This he said, making all meats clean. And 
into the bellv, and goeth out into the draught, he said, That which proceedeth out of the 
purging all meats ? 21 man, that defileth the man. For from within, 

20 And he said, That which cometh out of the out of the heart of men, 2 evil thoughts pro- 



22 ceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 
covetings, wickednesses, deceit , lascivious- 



man, that defileth the man. 

21 For from withi n, out of the heart of men, pro- 
ceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, 
murders, 

22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, las- 
1 Many ancient authorities insert ver. 16, If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear. 2 Gr. 

thoughts that are evil. 

15. defile] make common, or profane, is the meaning in Greek; here 
it signifies, to make ceremonially unclean ; or, more accurately, morally un- 
clean ; see vs. 2 and 23. Verse 16 is omitted by many MSS. and authorities, 
as in R. V. 

17. his disciples] From Matthew we learn that the questioner was Peter 
(Matt, xv, 15). Mark omits the name of the person, perhaps, in deference to 
Peter's feelings. 

the parable] So they regarded the words uttered in the hearing of the 
multitude, and which deeply offended the Pharisees (Matt, xv, 12). 

19. into the draught] Comp. 2 Kings x, 27, ''And they.. .brake down 
the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day." Alford ex- 
plains it as " sewer." 

purging all meats] This phrase is difficult, if not obscure. Alford, Meyer, 
Weiss, and others, connect it with draught, and make it refer to the purifying 
or removal of the useless portion of the food from the body. But there is a 
grammatical difficulty in this view. The revisers, following an old explana- 
tion, add : ' ' This he saith, making all meats clean. ' ' Chrysostom early sug- 
gested this interpretation, and it is accepted by Scrivener, Field, Bauer, 
Canon Cook, Ellicott, and Plumptre. 

21. evil thoughts] not merely bad thoughts, but evil designs. Thirteen 
forms of evil are here noticed as proceeding from the heart. The first seven, 
in the plural number, are predominant actions, the plural possibly indicating 
either the multitude of them, or the variety of forms under which each sin is 
committed. The latter six, in the singular, are dispositions. The change to 
singular may be for euphony ; there seems to be nothing in the nature of the 
sins calling for it. Comp. the blending of the singular and plural in Paul's 
enumeration of the works of the flesh, Gal. v, 19-21. 

adulteries] violations of the marriage vow ; fornications, violations of 
chastity by unmarried persons. 

22. covetousness] The original word denotes more than the mere love of 
money, it is " the drawing and snatching to himself, on the sinner's part, of 
the creature in every form and kind, as it lies out of and beyond himself." 
Hence, we find it joined not only with "thefts" and with" extortion" in 
1 Cor. v, 10, but also with sins of the flesh, as in 1 Cor. v, 11 ; Eph. v, 3, 
5; Col. iii, 5. "Impurity and covetousness may be said to divide between 
them nearly the whole domain of human selfishness and vice." See Canon 
Lightfoot on Col. iii, 5. 



90 PEOPLES COMMENTARY [Mark VII, 23, 24. 



Authorized Version. 
civiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, fool- 



Revised Version. 
ness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness : 
all these evil things proceed from within, 

23 All these evil things come from within, and and defile the man. 

defile the man. 24 And from thence he arose, and went away 

24 % And from thence he arose, and went into into the borders of Tyre x and Sidon. And 
the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into 

1 Some ancient authorities omit and Sidon. 

wickedness'] or wickednesses. It denotes the active working of evil, or. as 
Jeremy Taylor explains it, an " aptness to do shrewd turns, to delight in 
mischief and tragedies ; a love to trouble our neighbour and to do him ill 
offices ; crossness, perverseness, and peevishness of action in our inter- 
course." — Trench. 

lasciviousness~] The word, in classic Greek, denotes all excess and extrava- 
gance, and in later writers, lust. In the N. T. it is generally translated 
ik lasciviousness,' n as here and 2 Cor. xii, 21; Gal. v, 19; Eph. iv, 19; 1 
Pet. iv, 3 ; 2 Pet. ii, 18 ; sometimes (2) " wantonness, 11 as in Rom. xiii, 13. 
The Vulgate renders it now " impudicitia," now " lascivia." "Wanton- 
ness " seems the better rendering. 

an evil eye, blasphemy] Of these the first denotes concealed, i. e., the in- 
ward disposition ; the second, proud, spiteful anger. The evil eye is notori- 
ous in the East ; it may here include the outward envious look. In both 
cases the outward expression is used to signify the inward feeling or disposi- 
tion, for it is to the inward corruptions, not their outward manifestations, 
that Jesus primarily refers. 

pride] The word thus translated only occurs here in the N. T., its adjec- 
tive occurs in Luke i, 51 ; Rom. i, 30, "proud, boasters ;" 2 Tim. iii, 2, 
" proud, blasphemers;" James iv, 6; 1 Pet. v, 5, "God resisteth the 
proud. ' ' 

foolishness] only occurs here in the Gospels, and three times in the Epis- 
tles of Paul, 2 Cor. xi, 1, 17, 21. Matthew Henry wisely observes: " Ill- 
thinking is put first, as that which is the spring of all our commissions, and 
unthinking put last, as that which is the spring of all our omissions." 

23. from within] " The common arguments against public school edu- 
cation," says Ryle, "appear to me to be based on a forgetfulness of our 
Lord's teaching about the heart. Unquestionably there are many evils in 
public schools... But there are great dangers in private education, and dan- 
gers in their kind quite as formidable as any which beset a boy at public 
school... Without a change of heart, a boy may be kept at home and yet learn 
all manner of sin." 

Practical, Suggestions. — We are to serve God in his way, not according 
to men's traditions or customs. Inward purity is what God desires. The 
heart is the chief source of impurity. " Every man has within him the root 
of every sin." " What can we say to the exaggerated attention paid by many 
to ceremonies, ornaments, gestures, and postures in the worship of God... 
What is it all but pharisaism over again ? " — Ryle. "Our care must be to 
wash our hearts from wickedness." — M. Henry. 

24—30. The Syropho3Nician Woman, A. D. 29. 

24. from thence he arose] i. e., from the region of Capernaum or Gennesa- 
ret. See vi, 53-56. The Pharisaic party in Galilee were deeply offended 
(Matt, xv, 12) ; Herod Antipas was inquiring concerning him (Luke ix, 9), 
and his inquiries boded only ill. He therefore now leaves for a while west- 
ern Galilee, avoids publicity and gains rest, and makes his way northwest, 
through the mountains of upper Galilee into the border-land of Phoenicia. 

the borders of Tyre and Sidon] Not merely to, but "into," the borders 



Mark VII, 25-27.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 91 

Avthorized Version. | Revised Version. 

a house and would have no man know it ; but i he entered into a house, and would have 
he cpuid not be hid. no man know it : and he could not be hid. 

25 For a certain woman, whose young daugh- 25 But straightway a woman,whose little daugh- 
ter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and J ter had an unclean spirit, having heard of 
came and fell at his feet: 26 him, came and fell down at his feet. Now 

26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician the woman was a 1 Greek, a Syrophoenician 
bv nation ; and she besought him that he would by race. And she besought him that he 
cast forth the devil out of her daughter. would cast forth the 2 devil out of her daugh- 

27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children ' 27 ter. And he said unto her, Let the children 
first be filled : for it is not meet to take the I first be filled : for it is not meet to take the 

1 Or, Gentile - Gr. demon. 

of Tyre and Sidon, and hence beyond the limits of Galilee. SoAlford, Bleek, 
De Wette, Farrar, Cook, Ellicott, and others ; though some think he only 
went unto the border. The former view is the more probable. So in an- 
cient times Elijah traveled out of his own land into Phoenicia (1 Kings xvii, 
10-24). 

Tyre] A celebrated commercial city of antiquity, in Phoenicia. The He- 
brew name "Tzor" signifies "a rock," and well agrees with the site of SHr 
a modern town on a rocky peninsula, which was formerly an island, and 
twenty miles distant from Sidon. Hiram, King of Tyre, sent cedar wood 
and workmen to David and afterwards to Solomon (2 Sam. v, 11; 1 Kings ix, 
11-14; x, 22). Ahab married a daughter of Ithobal, King of Tyre (1 Kings 
xvi, 31). It was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar; captured by Alexander the 
Great, after seven months' siege, but became again a populous and thriving 
city in the time of Christ. Strabo gives an account of it at this period, and 
speaks of the great wealth which it derived from the production of the cele- 
brated Tyrian purple. The old town is in ruins now, but the modern city 
has a population of about five thousand. See SchafFs Bible Diet. 

Sidon] The Greek form of the Phoenician name Zidon, an ancient and 
wealthy city of Phoenicia, on the narrow plain between the Lebanon and the 
Sea. Its Hebrew name Tsidon signifies " Fishing " or "Fishery." Its 
modern name is Saida. It is mentioned in the Old Testament (Gen. x, 19 ; 
Josh, xi, 8; Judg. i, 31), and in ancient times was more influential even 
than Tyre, though from the time of Solomon it appears to have been subor- 
dinate to it. Homer has many allusions to the skill of the Sidonians, and 
Herodotus speaks of its kings and ships. The city was captured by Alexan- 
der the Great, B. C. 333. The ruins of the ancient city are extensive and 
remarkable; the population of the modern city is about ten thousand. 

would have no man know it] desiring seclusion, and perhaps greater free- 
dom to instruct his disciples. 

25. heard of him] Of his miracles and his arrival ; for his fame had 
reached even to these old Phoenician cities, from whence had come " a great 
multitude." Comp. Mark iii, 8; Matt, iv, 24. 

26. a Greek] i. e., in the broad sense of Gentile, as " Frank" is now 
applied to all Europeans in the East. Matthew describes her asa" woman 
of Canaan" (Matt, xv, 22); Mark calls her a Greek, a Syrophoenician. 
The first term describes her religion, that she was a Gentile ; the second, the 
stock of which she came. Juvenal uses the same term, as Justin Martyr and 
Tertullian mention. She is called a Syro-phcenician, as distinguished from 
the Liby Phoenicians, the Phoenicians of Africa, that is, Carthage. Phoeni- 
cia belonged at this time to the province of Syria. The Emperor Adrian 
divided Syria into three parts : Syria proper, Syro-Phcenicia, and Syro- 
Palestina ; and we may well believe that this official distinction rested on a 
pre-existing nomenclature. See Ellicott. 

27. said unto her] Mark passes more briefly over the interview than 



92 



PEOPLE S COMMENTARY 



[Mark vn, 2a 



Authorized Version. 
children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 
28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, 
Lord : yet the dogs under the table eat of the 
children's crumbs. 

1 Or, loaf. 



Eevised Version. 
children's x bread and cast it to the dogs. 
28 But she answered and saith unto him, Yea, 
Lord : even the dogs under the table eat of 




SYRIAN DOG. 



Matthew. The latter Evangelist points out three stages of this woman's 
trial : (i) Silence ; " He answered her not a word" (Matt, xv, 23) ; (ii) Re- 
fusal ; "I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt, 
xv, 24) ; (iii) Reproach ; " It is not meet to take the children's bread and 
cast it to the dogs" (Matt, xv, 26). But in spite of all she persevered and 
finally conquered. 
the dogs] In the original the diminutive is used = ' ' little dogs. " " Little 

whelps," Wyclif; " the 
whelps," Tyndale, Cranmer. 
The Jews, the children of 
the kingdom (Matt, viii, 12), 
were wont to designate the 
heathen as ' ' dogs, ' ' the no- 
ble characteristics of which 
animal are seldom brought 
outin Scripture (comp. Deut. 
xxiii, 18 ; Job xxx, 1 ; 2 
Kings viii, 13 ; Phil, iii, 2 ; 
Rev. xxii, 15. The Syrian 
dog is a howling scavenger, 
and not the companion of 
man, as the dog is among us. 
Here, however, the term is 
somewhat softened. Alex- 
ander thinks the heathen are compared to the small dogs in the house, 
not to the great wild dogs infesting Eastern towns"; but the dog was an un- 
clean animal to the Jews and not kept as with us. If he was in heathen 
territory, as inferred above, the expression would still more naturally refer 
to the Jewish designation of heathen, and, therefore, not convey the "re- 
volting harshness " which Alexander supposes. In the East now the Mo- 
hammedans apply this name to Christians. 

28. yet the dogs'] Yea, Lord, for even the little dogs under the table eat of 
the children's crumbs. So it is rightly translated in Wyclif s and Cranmer's 
Versions, following the Vulgate. "Truthit isMaister, for indeed the whelpes 
eat under the table, of the childerns crommes." — Geneva version, 1557. She 
accepts the declaration of Christ, and in that very declaration, she affirms, is 
involved the granting of her petition. " Saidst Thou dogs? It is well; I 
accept the title and the place ; for the dogs have a portion of the meat — not 
the first, not the children's portion, but a portion still — the crumbs which 
fall from the table." Her words speak to us even now, across the centuries. 
The Episcopal Church adopts her words in a prayer to be used at the cele- 
bration of ths Lord's Supper. — Camb. Bible. 

crumbs'] "From the very word dog, which seemed to make most against 
her, with the ready wit of faith, she drew an argument in her own favor." — 
Trench. "Was not that a master-stroke ! She snares Christ in his own 
words."— Luther. "The twelve had learned at last that even heathen 
4 dogs ' were not to be sent, unheard, away." — Geikie. 



Mam VII, 29-33.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



93 



Kevised Version. 

29 the children's crumbs. And he said unto 
her, for this saying go thy way ; the * devil 

30 is gone out of thy daughter. And she went 
away unto her house, and found the child laid 
upon the bed, and the 1 devil gone out. 

31 And again he went out from the borders 
of Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the 
sea of Galilee, through the midst of the bor- 

32 ders of Decapolis. And they bring unto him 
one that was deaf, and had an impediment 
in his speech ; and they beseech him to lay 

33 his hand upon him. And he took him aside 



Authorized Version. 

29 And he said unto her, For this saying go 
thy way ; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 

30 And when she was come to her house, she 
found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid 
upon the bed. 

31 f And again, departing from the coasts of 
Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, 
through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 

32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, 
and had an impediment in his speech ; and they 
beseech him to put his hand upon him. 

33 And he took him aside from the multitude, 
1 Gr. demon. 

29. go thy way] There were two notable examples of faith found in 
heathen persons and commended by Jesus : this woman and the centurion. 

30. devil gone out] This is an instance of a cure effected at a distance : 
other instances are, (1) the nobleman's son at Capernaum (John iv, 46) ; (2) 
the centurion's servant (Luke vii, 6). " Devil" here, as elsewhere, when 
relating to persons possessed, means " demons." 

Practical Suggestions. — "Mothers, widows, sisters, with sick, sinful, way- 
ward relatives, go and tell Jesus." — John Hall. " The first act of salvation 
in the Gentile world." — Bauer. " It is a great consolation to a Christian 
mother when God converts, in answer to prayer, a daughter possessed by a 
worldly spirit. But how little prayer is urged for that blessing! " — Quesnel. 
31 — 37. Healing the Deaf and Dumb, A. D. 29. 

31. the coasts] a misleading archaism. No allusion is made in the origi- 
nal word to the seaboard. Compare verse 24. " From the borders of 
Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the Sea of Galilee," is the reading of 
nearly all important MSS., though Scrivener adheres to the common text. 
See R. V. 

Sidon] or "through Sidon," which is the preferable reading, supported 
by several MSS., and found in several ancient versions. See R. V. If he 
made a visit to this city of Baal and Astarte, no further account of it is given. 
It would be a long, circuitous journey, and must have been full of incidents. 
The silence of the Evangelists throws some doubt on the genuineness of the 
revised reading, unlesc we interpret it (as Schaff does) to mean a district of 
Sidon and not the city. A district of Sidon is not elsewhere noticed, hence 
Canon Cook holds that Jesus went through the city of Sidon. 

unto the sea of Galilee] The journey appears to have been northward 
through Sidon and towards Lebanon, then through the deep gorge of the 
Leontes to the Jordan, thence along its eastern bank into Decapolis. 

32. one that was deaf] The healing of this man, on the east side of the 
Jordan, is related only by Mark. 

and had an impediment] The Greek implies that the man could scarcely 
articulate. As Canon Cook aptly says, " such a condition is an ordinary re- 
sult of long-continued deafnc^3," and leads us to infer that the man having lost 
his hearing from some cause, had gradually been losing his power of speech. 

they beseech him] This is one of the few instances where the friends of the 
sufferer brought the sick man to Christ. So the paralytic was borne of four 
(Mark ii, 3-5) ; the blind man of Bethsaida was also led to Jesus (Mark viii, 
22-26). 

33. aside from the multitude] Comp. Mark viii, 23. Why? (1) Some 
think it was to avoid all show and ostentation ; (2) others, to prevent a pub- 
licity which might bring together the Gentiles in crowds; (3) others, that 
the few might be convinced that he was not bound to any one mode of heal- 
ing. Geikie suggests, that these simpler forms were intended to awaken 



94 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY Mark VII, 34-VIII, l. 



Authorized Version. 
and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and 
touched his tongue; 

34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and 
saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 

35 And straightway his ears were opened, and 
the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake 
plainj 

36 And he charged them that they should tell 
no man: but the more he charged them, so much 
the more a great deal they published it; 

37 And were beyond measure astonished, say- 
ing, He hath done all things well: he maketh 
both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. 

CHAP. VIII.— In those days the multitude 
being very great, and having nothing to 
eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith 
unto them, 



Revised Version. 
from the multitude privately, and put his 
fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched 

34 his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he 
sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that 

35 is, Be opened. And his ears were opened, 
and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and 

36 he spake plain. And he charged them that 
they should tell no man: but the more he 
charged them, so much the more a great deal 

37 they published it. And they were beyond 
measure astonished, saying, He hath done all 
things well: he maketh even the deaf to 
hear, and the dumb to speak. 

8 In those days, when there was again a 
great multitude, and they had nothing to 
eat, he called unto him his disciples, and saith 



faith in one who could hear no words, for without a fitting spirit the miracle 
would not have been wrought. So also Trench supposes these acts were 
suited to stir up a lively expectation of a blessing, and these seem more pro- 
bable than the first three reasons. 

put his fingers into his ears'] His cure was (1) gradual, and (2) effected by- 
visible signs. 

34. looking up to heaven] This upturned look, expressive of an act of 
prayer, occurs also (1) in the blessing of the five loaves and two fishes (Matt, 
xiv, 19 ; Mark vi, 41) ; (2) at the raising of Lazarus (John xi, 41) ; and (3) 
before the great high-priestly prayer for the apostles (John xvii, 1). 

he sighed] or "groaned," as in the Rhemish Version. It was a natural 
expression of distress (Rom. viii, 23), and also implied intense desire and 
supplication. Comp. John xi, 33. Luther says : "This sigh was not drawn 
from Christ on account of the single tongue and ear of this poor man, but it is a 
common sigh over all tongues and ears, yea over all hearts, bodies and 
souls." 

Ephphatha] The actual Aramaic word used by our Lord, like the " Ta- 
litha cum " or " cumi " of Mark v, 41. 

36. he charged them] i. e., the friends of the afflicted man, who had ac- 
companied or followed him. " Everything in God's way and in his word is 
glorious and honorable, and like himself. He needs none of our testimonies, 
but it is the least we can do to signify our wishes to have his praises cele- 
brated." — Thos. Halyburton. 

37. astonished] The original word for " beyond measure " occurs nowhere 
else in the New Testament. Alexander observes : " The effect of this great 
miracle on those who witnessed it was so extraordinary that the writer has 
to coin a Greek word to express the boundlessness of this amazement." 

Practical Suggestions. — "Most people can both hear and speak; but 
how great and how common is spiritual deafness and dumbness ! " — Zeisius. 
" Scarcely is the power of speech given him, but he is ordered to be silent, 
that he might learn, or we through him, that the right use of the unbound 
tongue shall consist in a free will binding of it to obedience." — Stier. Many 
Christians have a spiritual impediment ; they seldom speak, but only stam- 
mer in praise of God. He hath done all things well ; how great a mercy we 
did not have things our way ! 

Ch. VIII. 1 — 9. Feeding the Four Thousand, A. D. 29. 

lo the multitude being very great] Jesus had returned from the region of 
Tyre to the east side of the Sea of Galilee. The effect of his miraculous 
cures on the inhabitants of the half pagan district of Decapolis was very 



Mark VIII, 2-8.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



95 



Eevised Version. 

2 unto them, I have compassion on the multi- 
tude, because they continue with me now 

3 three days, and have nothing to eat : and if 
I send them away fasting to their home, they 
will faint in the way ; and some of them are 

4 come from far. And his disciples answered 
him, Whence shall one be able to fill these 
men with * bread here in a desert place? 

5 And he asked them, How many loaves have 

6 ye? And they said. Seven. And he com- 
mandeth the multitude to sit down on the 
ground : and he took the seven loaves, and 
having given thanks, he brake, and gave to 
his disciples, to set before them ; and they set 

7 them before the multitude. And they had a 
few small fishes : and having blessed them, 
he commanded to set these also before them. 

8 And they did eat, and were filled : and they 
took up, of broken pieces that remained over, 



Authorized Version. 

2 I have compassion on the multitude, because 
they have now been with me three days, and 
have nothing to eat: 

3 And if 1 send them away fasting to their 
own houses, they will faint by the way : for 
divers of them came from far. 

4 And his disciples answered him, From 
whence can a man satisfy these men with bread 
here in the wilderness? 

5 And he asked them, How many loaves have 
ye? And they said, Seven. 

6 And he commanded the people to sit down 
on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, 
and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his 
disciples to set before them; and th y did set 
them before the people. 

7 And they had a few small fishes : and he 
blessed, and commanded to set them also before 
them. 

8 So they did eat, and were filled : and they 
took up of the broken meat that was left seven 
baskets. 

1 Gr. loaves. 

great. Upwards of four thousand persons, without counting women and 
children (Matt, xv, 38), gathered round him, and continued with him three 
days (Mark viii, 2). "In the East it is easy for the population, with their 
simple wants, and the mildness of the sky, which in the warm months invites 
sleeping in the open air by night, to camp out as they think fit. ' ' 

2. nothing to eat] Either they had fasted for three days, or their supplies 
had given out ; the latter is the more probable. The three days may be com- 
puted, however, according to Jewish methods, and may cover only one whole 
day and portions of two others. 

4. his disciples answered him] The disciples did not see whence nor how 
bread for such a crowd could be had. They had forgotten the other miracle 
already. The sacred writers do not conceal their own shortcomings, or the 
fact that they had so soon forgotten so great a miracle. 

whence can a man satisfy] Trench suggests that "it is evermore thus in 
times of difficulty and distress. All former deliverances are in danger of 
being forgotten ; the mighty interpositions of God's hand in former passages 
of men's lives fall out of their memories. Each new difficulty appears in- 
surmountable, as one from which there is no extrication ; at each recurring 
necessity it seems as though the wonders of God's grace are exhausted and 
had come to an end." Comp. Ex. xvii, 1-7 and Ex. xvi, 13 with Num. xi, 
21, 23. Farrar's excuse for the apostles' conduct is ingenious, but weak. 
He says : "Many and many a time had the apostles been with multitudes 
before, and yet on one occasion only had he fed them. Further, to suggest 
to him a repetition of the feeding of the five thousand would be a presump- 
tion which their ever-deepening reverence forbade, and forbade more than 
ever as they recalled how persistently he had refused to work a sign, such as 
this was, at the bidding of others." 

6. to sit down] The Greek word signifies "reclining," after the usual 
Eastern custom, rather than sitting. Where, is not distinctly specified. It 
was on the eastern side of the lake, and in a desert spot (Matt, xv, 33). 
Trench places it on the same spot as the feeding of the five thousand ; Elli- 
cott, near Wady Semak ; and others, near the south end of the lake. 

7. and he blessed] i. e., "blessed God aloud." A different word from 
that in v. 6. This implies praise, that in v. 6 thanksgiving. The language 
suggests that the loaves and fishes were separately blessed and distributed. 

8» seven baskets] The baskets were filled with fragments, indicating the 



96 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark "VTII, 9, la 



Authorized Version. 
9 And they that had eaten were ahout four 
thousand : and he sent them away. 
10 I" And straightway he entered into a ship 
with his disciples, and came into the parts of 
Dalmanutha. 



Kevised Version. 
9 seven baskets. And they were about four 
10 thousand: and he sent them away. And 
straightway he entered into the boat with his 
disciples, and came into the parts of Dalma- 
nutha. 

abundance of God's provision, as also in nature. The basket was not the 
small wicker xoyivoq of the former miracle, but large baskets of rope, such 

as that in which Paul was 
lowered from the wall of 
Damascus (Acts ix, 25). 
The wicker baskets were 
used in travelling ; the 
larger rope basket was 
used as a grain or provi 
sion basket, and was large 
enough to hold a man. 
The differences between 
this and the miracle of the 
five thousand are : (1) The 
people had been with the 
Lord upwards of three 
days; (2) seven loaves are 
now distributed and a 
few fishes, then five loaves 
and two fishes; (3) four 
thousand are fed now, then 
five thousand ; (4) now 
seven large rope baskets 
are filled with fragments, 
then twelve small wicker 
baskets; (5) the inhabit- 
ants of the north would 
have made him a king 
(John vi, 15) ; the men 
of Decapolis permit him to leave them without any demonstration. 

Practical Lessons. — " They that have a full feast for their souls may be 
content with slender provisions for their bodies. It was an old saying among 
the Puritans, that ' Brown bread and the gospel are good fare.' " — M. Hen- 
ry. " The bounty of Christ is inexhaustible. Those need not fear want 
who have Christ to live upon." 

10—21. The Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod, A. D. 29. 
10. the parts of Dalmanutha] or, as Matthew says, into the borders of 
Magdala or Magadan (xv, 39). Jesus recrossed the lake from the region 
of Decapolis. "Just before reaching Mejdel, we crossed a little open val- 
ley, the Ain-el-Barideh, with a few rich cornfields and gardens straggling 
among the ruins of a village, and some large and more ancient foundations 
by several copious fountains, and probably identical with the Dalmanutha 
of the New Testament." — Tristram. " If the reading Magadan in Matt, 
xy, 39 stands, we may conjecture either (a) that it and Dalmanutha were 
different names for the same place, or (b) that they denoted contiguous spots, 
either of which might give its name to the same region." — Camb. Bible. 
And Schaff remarks: "The two [Magadan or Magdala and Dalmanutha] 
were probably near each other and north of Tiberias... The theory that they 
were on the southeastern shore of the lake is altogether unsupported." 




Mark VIII, 11-14.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 97 

Authorized Version. Revised Version. 

11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to 11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began 
question with him, seeking of him a sign from to question with him, se " _ig of him a sign 



heaven, tempting him. 

12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, 
Why doth this generation seek after a sign? 
verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be 
given unto this generation. 

13 And he left them, and entering into the ship 
again departed to the other side. 

14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take 
bread, neither had they in the ship with them 
more than one loaf. 



12 from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed 
deeply in his spirit, and zziih, Why doth this 
generation seek n sign? vr-'ly I say unto 
you, There shall i o sign be given unto this 

13 generation. And he left them, and again 
entering into the boat, departed to the other 
side. 

14 And they forgot to take bread ; and they 
had not in the boat with them more than one 



11. And the Pharisees] Mark does not mention the coming of the Sad- 
ducees (Matt, xvi, 1), but does note the " sighing of Jesus," which Matthew 
omits. Jesus seems to have avoided Bethsaida or Capernaum, which had 
become the headquarters of the Pharisees ; but they had apparently watched 
for his arrival, and now "came forth' 1 ' 1 to meet him, accompanied for the 
first time by the Sadducees (Matt, xvi, 1). 

came forth, and began] This implies spying hostility. They had made: 
their arrangements for a decisive contest, and began with a demand for a 
sign. 

a sign from heaven] The same request had already been thrice made : 
(1) After the first cleansing of the Temple (John ii, 18) ; (2) after the feeding 
of the five thousand (John vi, 30) ; and (3) again shortly after the walking 
through the cornfields (Matt, xii, 38). By such a " sign " was meant some 
visible sign in the sky, the credentials of a prophet. The Jews believed that 
demons and false gods could give signs on earth, but only the true God could 
give a sign from heaven ; e. g., the manna of Moses from heaven; the sun 
and moon standing still for Joshua ; hail and rain of Samuel; fire and rain 
of Elijah ; sun on the dial of Hezekiah. The American revisers propose to 
read "trying him," or "making trial of him," in place of " tempting him." 
So also in x, 2 and xii, 15. 

12. he sighed deeply in his spirit] " For the demand for a sign from 
heaven was a demand that he should, as the Messiah, accredit himself by a 
great over mastering miracle ; thus it was fundamentally similar to the 
temptation in the wilderness, which he had repelled and overcome." — 
Lange. 

There shall no sign be given] literally, If a sign shall be given to this 
generation, a Hebrew idiom, the form of a Hebrew oath. Comp. Heb. iii, 
11, where see the margin ; iv, 3, 5 ; Gen. xiv, 23 ; Num. xiv, 30. The sign 
of " Jonah the prophet " adds Matthew xvi, 4. 

13. he left them] " Just severity." — Bengel. " It was his final rejection 
on the very spot where he had labored most, and he was leaving it, to re- 
turn, indeed, for a passing visit, but never to appear again publicly, or to 
teach, or work miracles." "If the plough of grace cannot force its way 
through your ice-bound heart to-day, what likelihood is there that it will 
enter to morrow?" — McCheyne. 

the other side] i. e., back again to the eastern side of the Lake, or north- 
ern side ; not the western side, as Canon Cook interprets it, for they had just 
left Dalmanutha, which was on the western shore. Those who hold to the 
existence of two Bethsaidas naturally fall into some confusion at this point. 
See v. 22. 

14. had forgotten] or "forgot." In the hurry of their unexpected re- 
embarkation they had altogether omitted to make provision for their own 
personal wants. See R. V. 

7 



98 



people's commentary 



[Mark VIII, 15-22. 



Authorized Version. 

15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, 
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the 
leaven of Herod. 

16 And they reasoned among themselves, say- 
ing, It is because we have no bread. 

17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto 
them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? 
perceive ye not yet, neither understand ? have 
ye your heart yet hardened ? 

18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, 
hear ye not? and do ye not remember? 

19 When I brake the five loaves among five 
thousand, how many baskets full of fragments 
took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 

20 And when the seven among four thousand, 
how many baskets full of fragments took ye up ? 
And they said, Seven. 

21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye 
do not understand? 

22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they 
bring a blind man unto him, and besought him 
to touch him. 



Revised Version. 

15 loaf. And he charged them, saying, Take 
heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, 

16 and the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned 
one with another, 1 saying, 2 We have no 

17 bread. And Jesus perceiving it saith unto 
them, Why reason ye, because ye have no 
bread? do ye not yet perceive, neither un- 
derstand? have ye your heart hardened? 

18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, 
hear ye not? and do ye not remember? 

19 When I brake the five loaves among the five 
thousand, how many 3 baskets full of broken 
pieces took ye up? They say unto him, 

20 Twelve. And when the seven among the 
four thousand, how many 3 basketfuls of 
broken pieces took ye up? And they say 

21 unto him, Seven. And he said unto them, 
Do ye not yet understand? 

22 And they come unto Bethsaida. And they 
bring to him a blind man, and beseech him 



1 Some ancient authorities read, because they had no bread. 2 Or, It is becatise we have no bread. 
3 Basket, in verses 19 and 20, represents different Greek words. 



15. charged them] " The verb is in the imperfect tense, and implies that 
the command was more than once repeated." — Ellicott. 

the leaven of the Pharisees] " Leaven in Scripture, with the single excep- 
tion of the Parable (Matt, xiii, 33; Luke xiii, 20, 21), is always a symbol of 
evil, (comp. 1 Cor. v, 6, 7, 8; Gal. v, 9), especially insidious evil, 
as it is for the most part also in the Rabbinical writers. See Lightfoot 
on Matt, xvi, 6. The strict command to the children of Israel that they 
should carefully put away every particle of leaven out of their houses during 
the Passover week, rests on this view of it as evil." — Maclear. For varied 
rendering of the last clause of the verse, see R. V. 

the leaven of Herod] " and," as it is in Matthew's Gospel, " of the Sad- 
ducees." The leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy (Luke xii, 1) ; of the 
Sadducees, unbelief; of Herod, worldliness. " The licentiousness admitted 
by the doctrine of the Sadducees was in other respects more suited to his 
palace and court, which bent religion into a mere species of political expedi- 
ency." — Bengel. 

17. yet hardened] not callous feeling, but dullness, as on the former 
occasion of the walking on the sea (Mark vi, 52). 

19. how many baskets] The precise number and the precise kind of bas- 
kets taken up on each occasion are noted. See above, on vi, 43. Wyclif 
brings out this in his translation : " Whanne I brak fjue looues among fyve 
thousand, and hou many coffyns ful of brokene mete ye token up?.. .whanne 
also seuene looues among foure thousand, how many leepis of brokene mete 
ye token up ? " 

21. ye do not understand] or, "Do ye not yet understand?" They 
seem to have thought that he was warning them against buying leaven of the 
Pharisees and Sadducees. 

Practical Lessons. — What an absurdity for those who greedily swallow 
the traditions of elders to desire a sign. " Distrust of God makes Christ's 
disciples quarrel among themselves." — M. Henry. When we do not under- 
stand and remember God's mercies we are overwhelmed with care and 
trouble. 

22—26. The Blind Man of Bethsaida, A. D. 29. 

22* Bethsaida] which lay upon the north eastern coast of the sea of Ti- 



Mark VIII, 23-26.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



Authorized Version. 

23 And he took the blind man by the hand, 
and led him out of the town ; and when he had 
spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he 
asked him if he saw aught. 

24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as 
trees, walking. 

25 After that he put his hands again upon his 
eyes, and made him look up: and he was re- 
stored, and saw every man clearly. 

26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, 
Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in 
the town. 



Revised Version. 

23 to touch him. And he took hold of the blind 
man by the hand, and brought him out of 
the village; and when he had spit on hid 
eyes, and laid his hand upon him, he asked 

24 him, Seest thou aught ? And he looked up, 
and said, I see men; for I behold them as 

25 trees, walking. Then again he laid his hands 
upon his eyes; and he looked stedfastly, and 

26 was restored, and saw all things clearly. And 
he sent him away to his home, saying, Do 
not even enter into the village. 



berias, near the Jordan. This would be on his way to Caesarea Philippi, 
whither he soon went ; see v. 27. Jesus led the man "out of town" to 
avoid publicity and hatred of enemies who were watching him, and to awaken 
faith in the man. 

23. he took the blind man] Jesus led him out himself ; ( { great humility, ' ' 
exclaims Bengel ; "thus Jesus raised his hope and gained his confidence." 
Seethe case noted in Mark vii, 33. As then, so now, the cure was gradual 
and with external signs: (1) He leads the man out of the town ; (2) anoints 
his eyes with the 
moisture of his 
mouth ; (3) lays his 
hands upon him 
twice (Mark viii, 23, 
25); (4) inquires of 
the progress of his 
restoration; (5) 
touched his eyes 
again and made him 
lookup; " aught "= 
anything. 

24. as trees walk- 
ing] Comp. R. V. 
" Isee men" was a 
joyful exclamation, jj 
Having once been fflj 
able to see, he re- |§j 
membered the ap- fe=s 
pearance of natural 
objects, and saw 
moving forms about: 
Kim; "trees he^ 
should have accoun- B 
ted them from their 
height, but men from 
their motion." 

25. look up] or 
"looked stedfastly," as in R. V. 
at once he saw plainly." 

saw every man clearly] or began to see all things clearly. " So that he syz 
clerely alle thingis."— Wyclif. The word translated "clearly," literally = 
" far shining," "far-beaming." Comp. the R. V. The man meant that 
he could now see clearly far and near. This is one of the few instances of a 
strictly progressive cure recorded in the Gospels. 

26. to his house] Bethsaida, therefore, was not the place of his residence ; 
he was to go directly from the place to his own home. See v. 22. 




BLIND IN SYRIA. 



though several authorities read, " and 



100 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark VIII, 27, 



Authorized Version. 

27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, in" 
to the towns of Caesarea Philippi : and by the 
way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, 
Whom do men say that I am ? 

28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but 
some say, Elias ; and others, One of the proph- 
ets. 



Revised Version. 
7 And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, 
into the villages of Caesarea Philippi : and in 
the way he asked his disciples, saying unto 
28 them, Who do men say that lam? And they 
told him, saying, John the Baptist: and 
others, Elijah ; but others, One of the proph- 



Practical Suggestions. — Providential ends are gained by varied methods. 
The spiritually blind, when restored, often see things in a confused and im- 
perfect manner. The blind man was not to tell it in Bethsaida, for its peo- 
ple had slighted his teaching. So "slighting Christ's favors is forfeiting 
them." The miracles of Christ were thus classified by Archbishop Thom- 
son : I. Miracles of Love: (1) Raising the dead, three instances ; (2) Curing 
mental diseases, six ; (3) curing bodily infirmities, eighteen cases. II. Mira- 
cles of Power: (1) creating, two instances ; (2) destroying (?), one ; (3) set- 
ting aside ordinary laws of being, seven ; (4) Over- awing the opposing will 
of men, three instances. " The time is coming when we shall see all ' clear- 
ly. '...Let us be content to wait and watch and work and pray." 

27— IX. 1. Caesarea Philippi. The Confession of Peter, A. D. 29. 

27. And Jesus went out] The course was in a northerly direction, some 
twenty-five or thirty miles along the eastern banks of the Jordan and beyond 
the waters of Merom. 

into the towns'] or "villages," or the "parts" or " regions " (Matt, xvi, 
13) of the remote city of Caesarea Philippi, near which it is possible he may 
have passed in his circuit from Sidon a very few weeks before (Mark vii, 24). 
— EllicotVs Lectures. 

Co3sarea Philippi] It lay on the northeast of the reedy and marshy 
plain of El Huleh, and at the base of Mt. Hermon. (1) It was probably 
called Baal-gad (Josh, xi, 17; xii, 7; xiii, 5), or Baal-hermon (Judg. iii, 
3; 1 Chron. v, 23), having a Phoenician or Canaanite sanctuary of Baal un- 
der the aspect of " Gad," or the god of good fortune. (2) It was also known 
as Panium or Paneas, from a cavern near the town, " abrupt, prodigiously 
deep, and full of still water," and associated with the worship of the sylvan 
Pan. Hence its modern appellation, Banias. (3) Herod the Great built 
there a splendid temple, of the whitest marble, which he dedicated to Augus- 
tus Caesar. (4) Afterwards the town became part of the territory of Herod 
Philip, tetrarch of Trachonitis, who enlarged it and called it Cozsarea Phil- 
ippi, partly after his own name, and partly after that of the Emperor Tiberi- 
us (Jos. Ant. xv, 10, 3 ; Bel. Jud. i, 21, 3). It was also so called to dis- 
tinguish it from Csesarea Palestince, or Caesarea " on the sea." Dean Stanley 
calls it a Syrian Tivoli, and " certainly there is much in the rocks, caverns, 
cascades, and the natural beauty of the scenery, to recall the Eoman Tiber. 
Behind the village, in front of a great natural cavern, a river bursts forth 
from the earth, the ' upper source ' of the Jordan. Inscriptions and niches 
in the face of the cliffs tell of the old idol worship of Baal and of Pan." — 
Tristram. See Schaffs Diet, of Bible. 

he asked his disciples] Hitherto he is not recorded to have asked the 
twelve any question respecting himself, and he would seem to have forborne 
to press his apostles for an avowal of faith in his divinity. He now wished 
to ascertain from them as the special witnesses of his life and daily words, 
the results of those labors. 

28. they answered] In this answer we have the explanation which common 
rumor in his own days offered of his marvelous works. (1) Some, like the 
guilty Herod, said he was John the Baptist risen from the dead ; (2) others, 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



101 




oesabea philippi. (From Photograph.) 




mount hebmon. (From Photograph.) 



102 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark VIII, 29-33. 



Revised "Version. 

29 ets. And he asked them, But who say ye 
that I am ? Peter answereth and saith unto 

30 him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged 
them that thej' should tell no man of him. 

21 And he began to teach them, that the Son of 
man must suffer many things, and be rejected 
by the elders, and the chief priests, and the 
scribes, and be killed, and after three days 

32 rise again. And he spake the saying openly. 
And Peter took him, and began to rebuke 

33 him. But he turning about, and seeing his 
disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, Get thee 



Authorized Version. 

29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye 
that I am? And Peter answereth and saith 
unto him, Thou art the Christ. 

30 And he charged them that they should tell 
no man of him. 

31 And he began to teach them, that the Son 
of man must suffer many things, and be rejected 
of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, 
and be killed, and after three days rise again 

32 And he spake tha~. saying openly. And 
Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 

33 But when he had turned about and looked 
on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get 

that he was Elijah, now returned, as Malachi predicted (iv, 5) ; (3) others, 
that he was Jeremiah (Matt, xvi, 14), who was expected to inaugurate the 
reign of the Messiah ; (4) others, again, that he was one of the " old pro- 
phets " (Luke ix, 19). But they did not add that any regarded him as the 
Messiah. — Camb. Bible. Calvin shrewdly remarks: "As Satan could not 
rob the Jews of the conviction that Christ would come, he changed him into 
various shapes, and, as it were, cut him in pieces. His next scheme was to 
bring forward many pretended Christs...By similar contrivances he contin- 
ued ever afterwards, either to tear Christ in pieces, or to exhibit him under 
a false character." 

29. Thou art the Christ] " Thus, in the outskirts of the heathen town 
dedicated to the deified Augustus, Jesus was proclaimed... the king of the 
universal Israel... he assumed publicly the empire of all the world, as the 
Messiah." — Geikie. Peter, as the ready spokesman of the rest of the Apos- 
tles, made the memorable reply, Thou art the Christ, the Messiah (Matt, xvi, 
16 ; Luke ix, 20), the Son of the living God (Matt, xvi, 16), but in this Cos- 
pel the promise of peculiar dignity in the Church the Lord was about to es- 
tablish is net named. 

30. tell no man] compare the similar charge in several cases of healing 
(i, 44 ; v, 43). 

31. he began to teach them] The question and the answer were alike pre- 
paratory to strange and mournful tidings, which he now began to reveal dis- 
tinctly to the apostles respecting himself; compare Dan. vi, 26 ; Matt, xvi, 
21 ; Luke xxiv, 26. 

32. openly] not publicly, but "plainly" and for the first time, "without 
disguise.'''' Comp. John xi, 14. There had been intimations of his death, 
but then they had been dark and enigma ical. (1) The Baptist had twice 
pointed him out as the Lamb of God destined to take away the sins of the 
world (John i, 29). (2) At the first Passover he had spoken to the Jews of 
a temple to be destroyed and rebuilt in three days (John ii, 19), and to Nico- 
demus of a lifting up of the Son of man, even as Moses had lifted up the 
serpent in the wilderness (John iii, 12-16). (3) He had intimated that a day 
would come when the bridegroom should be taken from them (Matt, ix, 15), 
and (4) in the synagogue at Capernaum he had declared that he was about 
to give his flesh for the life of the world (John vi, 47-51). 

And Peter] who a moment before had witnessed so noble and outspoken 
a confession ; ardent, impulsive and capricious, was not prepared for this. 

took him] took him aside (so Tyndale and Cranmer render it), by the 
hand, or by the robe, as if he would forcibly restrain Jesus from talking or think- 
ing of suffering at the hands of the chief priests and scribes. The language 
here is against the view that Peter's act was one of friendly entreaty merely. 

33. turned about and looked on his disciples] Observe the graphic 
touches of Mark. The evangelist does not suppress the record of mistaken 
zeal, nor of the terrible rebuke it called forth. 



Mark VIII, 34-IX, 1.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 103 



Revised Version. 
behind me, Satan : for thou mindest not the 

34 things of God, but the things of men. And 
he called unto him the multitude with his 
disciples, and said unto them, If any man 
would come after me, let him deny himself, 

35 and take up his cross, and follow me. For 
whosoever would save his * life shall lose it ; 
and whosoever shall lose his * life for my 

36 sake and the gospel's shall save it- For what 
doth it profit a man,to gain the whole world, 

37 and forfeit his 1 life? For what should a 

38 man give in exchange for his 1 life? For 
whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my 
words in this adulterous and sinful genera- 
tion, the Son of man also shall be ashamed 
of him, when he cometh in the glory of his 

9 Father with the holy angels. And he said 
unto them, Verily I say unto you, There be 



Authorized Version. 
thee behind me, Satan : for thou savourest not 
the things that be of God, but the things that 
be of men. 

34 % And when he had called the people unto 
him with his disciples also, he said unto them, 
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny 
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose 
it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake 
and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 

36 For what shall it profit a man,if he shall 
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for 
his soul ? 

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of 
me and of my words in this adulterous and sin- 
ful generation ; of him also shall the Son of man 
be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his 
Father with the holy angels. 

CHAP. IX.— And he said unto them, Verily 
I say unto you, That there be some of 
1 Or, soul 

Get thee behind me'] The very words which he had used to the tempter in 
the wilderness (Matt, iv, 10), for in truth the apostle was adopting the very argu- 
ment which the great enemy had adopted there. " Asif he had said, 'What! 
adversary; is Satan come again to tempt me, as he did of old? Avauntthoa, 
get thee hence ! ' Then,addressingthe astonished... Peter, in his own person, 
he describes the cause of the mistake he had just made." — Alexander. 

thou savourest not] or "thou mindest not," as in R. V. " Thou dost not 
perceive God's purpose in the death of Messiah." Latimer, quoting 1 Cor. 
xiii, 11, writes " When I was a child I savoured as a child." " Thy words 
shew," our Lord would say to the apostle, " that in these things thou enter- 
est not into the thoughts and plans of God, but considerest all things only 
from the ideas of men." 

34. he had called] a crowd followed close upon him and his disciples. 
He had just been speaking to the disciples privately ; now he calls and ad- 
dresses to the multitude, as well as to his apostles, some of his deepest teach- 
ing, making them sharers in this part of his instruction. "Will " is used in 
the sense of u desires," or "is willing." 

take up his cross] not so much an intimation of Christ's suffering upon the 
cross, as of the common custom of compelling a malefactor to bear his own 
cross to the place of his execution. 

35. shall lose it] This solemn saying our Lord is found to have uttered on 
no less than four several occasions: (1) here, which corresponds with Matt, 
xvi, 25 ; Luke ix, 24 ; (2) Matt, x, 39 ; (3) Luke xvii, 33 ; (4) John xii, 25. 

36. soul] or "life," for it is the same word (0^/^) as in verse 35. See 
R. V. But it cannot mean simply the " life " of the body, for. all must lose 
that at death ; it must refer, therefore, to the eternal life of man. The word 
is, therefore, used in two senses- In v. 35 it must refer to the earthly life ; 
in this verse, to the true, higher life, as also in v. 37. 

37. in exchange] literally, " as a'ransom price." Tie price which the 
earthly-minded man gives for the world is his soul. But, after having laid 
that down as the price, what has he for a "ransom-price," to purchase it 
again? The Greek word occurs in the Septuagint (Ruth iv, 7 ; Jer. xv, 13). 
Some read, " for what can be an exchange for his soul ! " 

38. adulterous] The generation is called " adulterous " because its heart 
was estranged from God. Compare Jer. xxxi, 32 ; Isa. liv, 5. 

IX, 1. And he said unto them] This verse is closely connected with the 



104 



people's commentary 



[Mark IX, 2, 



Revised Version. 
some here of them that stand by, which 6hall 
in no wise taste of death, till they see the 
kingdom of God come with power. 
2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him 
Peter, and James, and John, and bringeth 
them up into a high mountain apart by 
themselves: and he was transfigured before 



Authorized Version. 
them that stand here, which shall not taste of 
death, till they have seen the kingdom of God 
come with power. 

2 And after six days Jesus taketh with Mm 
Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them 
up into a high mountain apart by themselves : 
and he was transfigured before them. 

close of the eighth chapter. Ellicott says: "The present division may have 
been made with a view of connecting it with the transfiguration... but if so, 
it was based on what is at least a doubtful interpretation." 

Verily I say unto you] "This well-known formula occurs thirteen times 
in Mark, thirty- one times in Matthew, seven times in Luke, twenty-five 
times in John. It always introduces solemn and important announcements." 
— Maclear. 

the kingdom of God'] The meaning of this verse has been much disputed. 
Some refer it to the transfiguration only, some to the resurrection, some to 
the fall of Jerusalem, and others to the success of the Gospel in apostolic 
days. Its meaning cannot be fairly confined to any one of these, but proba- 
bly includes all of them, as indicating the coming and first beginning of that 
kingdom in its power. Three of those then standing with the Lord beheld 
him transfigured six days afterward ; all, save one, were witnesses of his 
resurrection and of the pentecostal scene ; one at least, John, survived the 
capture of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, and on each of 
these occasions " the kingdom of God " was manifested " with power." 

Practical Suggestions. — " Many praise Christ, yet rob him of his true 
honor." — Beza. " If Jesus Christ had came into the world as a mighty, 
opulent man, clothed with earthly glories and honors, he would have had a 
multitude of partisans, and most of them hypocrites." — A. Clarke. Satan 
conceals the worst and tells his followers only of pleasure. Christ deals 
fairly and is not afraid to tell his disciples the worst, for he knows that the 
advantages of his service overbalance the discouragements. Said Bishop 
Hooper, the night before his martyrdom, " True, life is sweet and death is 
bitter ; but eternal death is more bitter, and eternal life is more sweet." 
" Christ's cross is die sweetest burden that ever I bore ; it is such a burden 
as wings are to a bird, or sails to a ship, to carry me forward to my harbor." 
— Rutherford. 

" No pain, no palm ; no thorn, no throne ; 
No gall, no glory; no cross, no crown." — Penn. 

11 Of all unprofitable and foolish bargains that man can make, the worst is 
that of giving up his soul's salvation for the sake of the present world. It is 
a bargain of which thousands, like Esau... have repented, unhappily too late," 
— Ryle. " I find satisfaction in looking at nothing I have done. I have not 
fought, but Christ has fought for me ; I have not run, but Christ has carried 
me ; I have not worked, but Christ has wroughtin me ; Christ has done all." 
— Payson. 

Ch. IX. 2—13. The Transfiguration, A. D. 29. 

2. after six days] Luke's tl about an eight days after 11 (ix, 28) includes 
the day at the beginning and at the end of the time reckoned, while Matthew 
and Mark exclude them. 

Peter, and James, and John] the privileged three, who had witnessed the 
raising of Jairus' daughter. 

into a high mountain] Tradition places this scene on Tabor. But Tabor 
is not a "high mountain," and besides, it was then occupied by a fortifica- 
tion. It was more probably on one of the spurs of the magnificent snow- 



Mark IX, 3, 4.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OE MASK. 



105 



Kevised Version. 

3 them : and his garments became glistering, 
exceeding white ; so as no fuller on earth can 

4 whiten them. And there appeared unto them 
Elijah with Moses: and they were talking 



Authorized Versiox. 

3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding 
white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can 
white them. 

4 And there appeared unto them Elias with 
Moses : and they were talking with Jesus. 

clad Hermon (10,000 feet high); also called Sion, " sunny place" and is 
now known as Jebel-esh Sheikh, "the chief mountain. 11 Jesus was in the 
region of Hermon just before the transfiguration, and Mark, who never 
omits to notice our Lord's arrival at and departure from a place, makes no 
note of a change of place here. Thomson supposes the scene took place on 
mount Panium, a lower spur of Hermon. Canon Cook fixes it on one of the 
loftier peaks. ' ' In whatever part of Palestine the Israelite turned his eye 
northward, Hermon was there terminating the view. From the plain along 
the coast, from the mountains of Samaria, from the Jordan valley, from the 
heights of Moab and Gilead, from the plateau of Bashan, that pale blue, 
snow capped cone forms the one feature on the northern horizon." See 
view of Mt. Hermon, on p. 101. 

apart by themselves] Luke (ix, 28) tells us that Jesus withdrew that he 
might engage in solitary prayer. We may infer (comparing Luke ix, 37) that 
the transfiguration took place in the night, which must have added to the 
grandeur of the scene. 

was transfigured] literally, " he was changed in form." Luke, writing 
primarily for Greek readers, avoids the word "transfigured," or "trans- 
formed" (" metamorphosed " would be a still closer rendering), which Mat- 
thew and Mark employ. The associations of heathen mythology would al- 
most inevitably attach themselves to it in the imagination of a Greek. In 
naming this great event " die Verklarung," or " the Glorification," German 
theology has seized this point, not the same as our "Transfiguration." 
" Mark borrows one image from the world of nature, another from that of 
man's art and device ; by these he struggles to set forth and reproduce for 
his readers the transcendent brightness of that light which now arrayed, 
from head to foot, the person of the Lord, breaking forth from within, and 
overflowing the very garments which he wore ; until in their eyes who be- 
held he seemed to clothe himself with light as with a garment, light being 
indeed the proper and peculiar garment of deity (Ps. civ, 2 ; Hab. iii, 4)." 
— Trench. 

3. shining] "A still more expressive term in the original, applied by 
Homer to the glistening of polished surfaces and to the glittering of arms ; 
by Aristotle, to the twinkling of the stars; and by Euripides, to the flashing 
of lightning." — Alexander. Shining " as the light " is Matthew's expres- 
sion. 

fuller] one whose trade it was to cleanse linen and give it peculiar white- 
ness. The Romans had a white color, called Candorem, which was so " clear 
and deep as to glisten splendidly." The image is one which Dante might 
have used. 

4. there appeared unto them] The three apostles had been weighed 
down with sleep, lying wrapped, like all Orientals, in their abbas on the 
ground, but awakened probably by the supernatural light, they thoroughly 
roused themselves (Luke ix, 32), and saw his glory and the two men stand- 
ing with him. " No synod on earth was ever more gloriously attended than 
this. No assembly was ever more illustrious. Here is God the Father, God 
the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Here are Moses and Elias, the chief of 
the prophets. Here are Peter, James, and John, the chief of the apostles." 
— Brentius. 



106 



people's commentary 



[Mark IX, 5-7. 



Revised Version. 
with Jesus. And Peter answereth and saith 
to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: 
and let us make three * tabernacles ; one for 
thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. 
For he wist not what to answer ; for they be- 
came sore afraid. And there came a cloud 
overshadowing them: and there came a 
voice out of the cloud, This is my beloved 



Authorized Version. j 

5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Mas- 
ter, it is good for us to be here : and let us make 
three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for 
Moses, and one for Elias. 

6 For he wist not what to say ; for they were 
sore afraid. 

7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed 
them : and a voice came out of the cloud, say- 
ing, This is my beloved Son : hear him. 

1 Or, booths 

Elias with Moses'] We are not told how the disciples knew Moses and 
Elijah. Jesus may have addressed them by name, or the conversation may 
have indicated in some other way who they were. Some suggest that the 
appearance of Moses and Elijah on the mount gives them a priority or promi- 
nence above all other 0. T. prophets. These two were the acknowledged 
heads and representatives, the one of the law, the other of the prophets (comp. 
Matt, vii, 12). 

they were talking'] The subject of mysterious converse which the three 
were privileged to hear, was the decease which Jesus was about to accomplish 
at Jerusalem (Luke ix, 31). This exodus or departure of Jesus had been 
typified by the exodus of Israel under Moses, so Alexander thinks, and that 
of Elijah in a chariot of fire. 

5. And Peter] The apostles were filled with a holy, spiritual ecstasy, and 
Peter sought to prolong the feeling, but under'a mingled feeling of joy, con- 
fusion, and terror, he scarcely knew what he proposed (Luke ix, 33). It was 
too brief a converse, too transient a glimpse and foretaste of the heavenly 
glory, for him to recover his surprise. 

it is good for us to be here] " Better, as no doubt he felt, than to be re- 
jected of the Jews, better than to suffer many things of the elders and chief 
priests and scribes and be killed" (Matt, xvi, 21). — Trench's Studies. 

three tabernacles] Three booths of wattled boughs, 
like those of the feast of tabernacles. It is vain to look 
for any specific motive or meaning in his proposition to 
build three booths, beyond that of wishing to prolong 
the heavenly manifestation and joy. 

6. he wist not] The American revisers read *' knew 
not " for " wist not." Wist is the past tense of A. S. 
witan = to know. Compare wit = knowledge (Ps. cvii, 
27), and wit = to know (Gen. xxiv, 21). Filled with a 
religious awe at the scene, he tried to give some expres- 
sion to his feelings, yet spoke half unconsciously. 
sore afraid] Comp. Heb. xii, 21, "Moses said, I exceedingly fear and 
quake." Wyclif s rendering is very striking, " agast by drede." 11 

7. a cloud] A bright cloud reminded them of the Shekinah, which was 
the usual symbol of the divine presence. u Light in its utmost intensity 
performs the effects of darkness, hides as effectually as the darkness would 
do." Comp. 1 Tim. vi, 16, and the words of Milton, "dark with ex- 
cess of light," and of Wordsworth, " a glorious privacy of light." — Trench, 
a voice came out of the cloud] Looking back afterwards on the scene, Peter 
speaks of himself and the two " sons of thunder " as " eyewitnesses of his 
majesty" (2 Peter i, 16), i. e., literally, as men who had been admitted and 
initiated into secret and holy mysteries, and says that the voice " came from 
the excellent glory" (2 Peter i, 17), from him, that is, who dwelt in the 
cloud, which was the symbol ana the vehicle of divine presence. John also 
clearly alludes to the scene, in John i, 14, and 1 John i, 1. — Camb. Bible. 




FORM OF TABERNACLE. 



Mabk IX, 8-12.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



107 



Revised Version. 

8 Son : hear ye him. And suddenly looking 
round about, they saw no one any more, §ave 
Jesus only with themselves. 

9 And as they were coming down from tha 
mountain, he charged them that they should 
tell no man what things they had seen, save 
when the Son of man should have risen 

10 again from the dead. And they kept the 
saying, questioning among themselves what 
the rising again from the dead should mean. 

11 And they asked him, saying, * The scribes 

12 say that Elijah must first come. And he said 
unto them, Elijah indeed cometh first, and 
restoreth all things : and how is it writ- 
ten of the Son of man, that he should suffer 



Authorized Version. 

8 And suddenly, when they had looked round 
about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus 
only with themselves. 

9 And as they came down from the mountain, 
he charged them that they should tell no man 
what things they had seen, till the Son of man 
were risen from the dead. 

10 And they kept that saying with themselves, 
questioning one with another what the rising 
from the dead should mean. 

11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the 
scribes that Elias must first come ? 

12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily 
cometh first, and restoreth all things ; and how 
it is written of the Son of man, that he must 
suffer many things, and be set at nought, 

1 Or, How is it that the scribes say. ...come? 

The meaning of the voice, as of the transfiguration, was to assure the wit- 
nesses of the supernatural and spiritual character of Jesus and his mission. 
This is my beloved Son] " In the words themselves of this majestic instal- 
lation there is a remarkable honoring of the Old Testament, and of it in all 
its parts, which can scarcely be regarded as accidental ; for the three several 
clauses of that salutation are drawn severally from the Psalms (Ps. ii, 7), the 
Prophets (Isa. xlii, 1), and the Law (Deut. xviii, 15) ; and together they pro- 
claim him, concerning whom they are spoken, to be the king, the priest, and 
the prophet of the new covenant." — Trench. The same message was given 
at his baptism. 

8. suddenly... looked round~\ as if startled by a touch of Jesus, they 
looked, but the celestial visitors had vanished. At first (1) they fell pros- 
trate on their faces (Matt, xvii, 6 ; comp. Ex. iii, 6 ; 1 Kings xix, 13) ; then 

(2) recovering from the shock of the Voice from heaven (Matt, xvii, 6), they 

(3) suddenly gazed all around them, and saw no man, save Jesus only. "Hinc 
constat, hunc esse Filium, audiendum, non Mosen, non Eliam." ...Bengel. 
" Quae ex Verbo coeperunt, in Verbo desinunt." — Ambrose. 

9. they should tell no man~\ This implies that they were forbidden to re- 
veal the wonders of the night, and what they had seen, even to their fellow- 
Apostles till after the Resurrection. Why this silence was enjoined can only 
be conjectured. Some suppose the other disciples were not prepared for the 
information, or that these three, as leaders, needed this manifestation to 
strengthen them, or that publishing this might cause the people to make him 
king and interfere with his true mission. 

10. questioning one with another] Mark alone mentions the perplexity 
which this language of their Lord occasioned to the Apostles. It was not 
the question of the resurrection generally, but of his death and resurrection 
which troubled them. This led to the question about Elijah. For, to their 
minds, Elijah had just come on the mount, while Jesus had already been re- 
cognized as the Messiah by the apostles. 

11. first come] that is, before the Messiah (Mai. iv, 5). " It would be 
an infinite task," says Lightfoot, ; 'to produce all the passages out of the 
Jewish writings which one might concerning the expected coming of Elijah." 
He was to restore to the Jews the pot of manna and the rod of Aaron, to 
cry to the mountains, " Peace and blessing come into the world, peace 
and blessing come into the world!" "Salvation cometh, Salvation 
cometh, to gather all the scattered sons of Jacob, and restore all things to 
Israel as in ancient times." 

12. and how] It is true Elijah must first come, as the scribes say, but 
remember that the sufferings and rejection of the Messiah are also pre* 



loa 



people's commentary 



[Mark IX, 13-17. 



Authorized Version. 

13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed 
come, and they have done unto him whatsoever 
they listed, as it is written of him. 

14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a 
great multitude about them, and the scribes 
questioning with them. 

15 And straightway all the people, when they 
beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running 
to him saluted him. 

16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye 
with them? 

17 And one of the multitude answered and 



| Revised Version. 

13 many things and be set at naught ? But I 
say unto you, that Elijah is come, and they 
have also done unto him whatsoever they 
listed, even as it is written of him. 

14 And when they came to the disciples, they 
saw a great multitude about them, and scribes 

15 questioning with them. And straightway all 
the multitude, when they saw him, were 
greatly amazed, and running to him saluted 

16 him. And he asked them, What question ye 

17 with them? And one of the multitude an- 



dicted. Or, "Elijah truly cometh first. But how or to what purpose is it 
written of the Son of Man that he cometh ? In order that he may suffer, 
not conquer like a mighty prince." Some take the first clause as a question, 
" how is it written of the Son of Man ? " and the last as the answer, " that 
he should suffer," etc. The R. V. takes the whole as one question. 

13. That Elias is indeed cornel Having shown them the relation between 
the work of Elijah and of himself, he now relieves their perplexity about the 
coming of Elijah, by showing them that not merely had Elijah just appeared 
on the mount, as they knew, but that John had come in the spirit of Elijah and 
had suffered death. It is difficult to understand how Romanists and a few 
Protestant writers can hold to the theory that Elijah is yet to come, in the 
face of this express declaration, " Elijah is come." Ryle, who inclines to 
the Romanist interpretation, concedes that the opposite view has been held 
by the great majority of Protestants since the Reformation. Matthew's ac- 
count is explicit ; the disciples understood that Jesus referred to John the 
Baptist as the Elijah foretold in prophecy (Matt, xvii, 13). 

Practical Teachings. — Calvin suggests that in the transfiguration Jesus 
meant to show that he had the power in himself to take his glory, had he 
willed it, and that hence he gave himself willingly to suffer. " God lets us 
have, even in this world, extraordinary glances and views, but they are only 
of short duration, because their longer duration would not be tolerable or 
profitable." — Lange. " What comfort and consolation a sight of glory can 
give a true believer I" — Ryle. In this appearance of Moses and Elias on the 
mount we have proof of the conscious existence of departed saints. 

14—29. Healing of the Lunatic Child, A. D. 29. 

14. And when he came to his disciples'] Some MSS. read "when they 
came to the disciples." See R. V. All the evangelists place this miracle 
next after the transfigm-ation. Raphael, in his great picture, has enshrined 
forever the contrast between the scene on the mount of glorification and that 
which awaited the Saviour and the three apostles on the plain below ; be- 
tween the harmonies of heaven and the harsh discords of earth. " Hardly 
such another contrast can be found in the gospels as this," says Stier, 
" between the open heaven and sons of glory on the mount, and the valley of 
tears with its terrible forms of misery, pain and unbelief." 

scribes'] Jesus perceiving the disciples perplexed, and knowing the active 
hostility of the scribes, proposed to defend his followers. 

15. were greatly amazed] " was astonied and much afraid." — Rhemish 
Version. His face, like that of Moses (Ex. xxxiv, 30), probably retained 
traces of the celestial glory, and filled the beholders with awe and wonder. 
So Bengel, De Wette, Meyer, Trench, Alford, and others, explain it. No 
wonder they ran and saluted him. 

17. my son] " mine only child " (Luke ix, 38); "to thee "j he intended 
to bring him to Jesust 



Mark IX, 18-24.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



109 



Revised Version. 
swered him, * Master, I brought unto thee 

18 my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and 
wheresoever it taketh him, it 2 dasbeth him 
down: and he foameth, and grindetb his 
teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy 
disciples that they should cast it out; and 

19 they were notable. And he answereth them 
and saith, faithless generation, how long 
shall I be with you? how long shall I bear 

20 with you? bring him unto me. And they 
brought him unto him: and when he saw 
him, straightway the spirit 3 tare him griev- 
ously; and he fell on the ground, and wal- 

21 lowed foaming. And he asked his father, 
How long time is it since this hath come un- 

22 to him.' And he said, From a child. And 
oft-times it hath cast him both into the fire 
and into the waters, to destroy him: but if 
thou canst do anything, have compassion on 

23 us, and help us. And Jesus said unto him, 
If thou canst! All things are possible to him 

24 that believeth. Straightway the father of 
the child cried out, and said 4 , I believe ; 



Authorized Version. 
said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, 
which hath a dumb spirit ; 

18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth 
him : and he foameth, and gnasheth with his 
teeth, and pineth away : and I spake to thy dis- 
ciples that they should cast him out ; and they 
could not. 

19 He answereth him, and saith, faithless I 
generation, how long shall I be with you? how 
long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. 

20 And they broughtbim unto him: and when j 
he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; | 
and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foam- 
ing. 

21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago 
since this came unto him? And he said, Of a 
child. 

22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, 
and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou 
canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and 
help us. 

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, 
all things are possible to him that believeth. 

24 And straightway the father of the child 
cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe ; 
help thou mine unbelief. 

1 Or, Teacher 2 Or, rendeth him 3 Or, convulsed * Many ancient authorities add with tears. 

a dumb spirit] he could not utter articulate words, though he could sud- 
denly cry out (Luke ix, 39). 

18. wheresoever] According to Matthew, these attacks were supposed to 
have some connection with changes of the moon (Matt, xvii, 15). 

he teareth him] indicating great pain, or violent convulsions, as St. Yitus' 
dance, or the like. 

pineth away] " is parched," or " fainteth away." The effect is not per- 
manent, but temporary and sudden, as in cases of epilepsy. 

19. how long shall I be with you] This reply of Jesus has been variously 
interpreted: (1) Some, as Bengel, De Wette, and Meyer, understand it as 
applying only to the nine apostles ; and this view seems to be favored by the 
reading, "them," in the R. V., but the term "generation" is too strong to 
apply to so small a company ; (2) some apply it to the scribes only, to which 
Brown objects, but on the very insufficient ground that the context implies 
that it was want of faith which is rebuked, a fact which would favor the inter- 
pretation ; (3) others, to the father of the child, as the reading of the A. V. 
suggests, but this is open to the same objection as the first- view; (4) still 
others, as Alford, Alexander, and Schaff, apply it to the generation living 
at the time of the Lord's ministry. In this would be included the father, 
the disciples, the scribes, and the multitude. The second view would satisfy 
the conditions of the narrative, while the fourth is sufficiently broad to in- 
clude all the others. 

22. if thou canst] more literally, if at all thou canst. This is a strong 
expression of an infirm faith, which at the beginning had been too weak, but 
had become more and more weak, owing to the failure of the disciples to aid 
him. 

23. If thou canst] Compare R. V. "Thou hast said," replies our 
Lord, " if I can do anything. But as for thy if thou canst, the question is 
if thou canst believe ; that is the hinge upon which all must turn." Then he 
pauses, and utters the further words, " all things are possible to Mm that 
believeth.^ Thus the Lord helps faith in the struggling soul. 

24. Lord, 1 believe] .The best authorities omit "with tears, Lord." See 



110 



PEOPLE S COMMENTARY 



[Mark IX, 25-29 



Kevised Version. 

25 help thou mine unbelief. And when Jesus 
saw that a multitude came running together, 
he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying unto 
him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command 
thee, come out of him, and enter no more 

26 into him. And having cried out, and * torn 
him much, he came out: &ndlhe cMdbecame 
as one dead; insomuch that the more part 

27 said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the 

28 hand, and raised him up ; and he arose. And 
when he was come into the house, his disci- 
ples asked him privately, 2 saying, We could 

29 not cast it out. And Le said unto them, This 
kind can come out by nothing, save by 
prayer. 3 



Authorized Version^ 

25 When Jesus saw that the people came run- 
ning together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying 
unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge 
thee, come out of him, and enter no more into 
him. 

26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and 
came out of him : and he was as one dead ; inso- 
much that many said, He is dead. 

27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted 
him up; and he arose. 

28 And when he was come into the house, his 
disciples asked him privately, Why could not we 
cast him out? 

29 And he said unto them, This kind can come 
forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. 

1 Or. convulsed 2 Or, How is it that we could not cast it out f 3 Many ancient authorities add and 
fasting. 

R. V. This does not affect the character or the object of the man's belief. 
26. and rent him sore] " The kingdom of Satan, in small and great, is 
even stirred into a fiercer activity by the coming near of the kingdom of 
Christ. Satan has great wrath when his time is short." — Trench. The spirit 
acts, says the witty Fuller, "like an outgoing tenant, who cares not what 
mischief he does." "Nothing can be more touching and living than this 
whole most masterly and wonderful narration." — Alford. Trench quotes a 
curious passage from Lucian's Philopseudes," in which there is an ironical al- 
lusion to this miracle, and shows how widely a belief in Christ's miraculous 
power had spread, and is a good attestation of the early reception of the gos- 
pel, and of how skeptics explain away its character. 

28. Why could not we cast him out?] He had given them " power and 
authority over all demons " (Luke ix, 1), and " against unclean spirits to cast 
them out" (Matt, x, 1) ; what was the reason of their failure now ? 

29. This kind] This order of beings, not this kind of demons ; so Bloom- 
field and others understood it. The Lord impresses upon them a twofold les- 
son : (1) The power of a perfect faith (see Matt, xvii, 20, 21) ; (2) There 
are degrees of spiritual and moral wickedness so intense and malignant that 
they can be exorcised by nothing save by prayer. " Ministers would witness 
and be the instruments of more remarkable conversions if they were stronger 
in faith and more fervent in prayer." — Scott. "Two things are worthy of 
particular notice : (1) What is called the spirit or grace of prayer ; (2) the 
gift of prayer. . . . Where there is a large measure of the spirit of prayer, 
there we are most apt to find a corresponding measure of the gift of prayer." 
. . . The happy union of the spirit and gift of prayer is the great object 
to be desired, and its attainment truly important to the usefulness of every 
minister of the Gospel." — Samuel Miller. 

Practical Suggestions. — " Christ suffers in his honor by the difficulties 
and follies of his disciples." — M. Henry. "How deeply rooted must unbe- 
lief be in our hearts when we are surprised to find our prayers answered?" — 
Hare. " If thou canst grip Christ ever so weakly, he will not let thee per- 
ish." — T.Adams. "The little spark of faith which is kindled in his soul 
reveals to him the abysmal depths of unbelief which are there." — Trench. 
" God looks not at the oratory of your prayers, how urgent they may be ; 
nor at the geometry of your prayers, how long they may be ; nor at the arith- 
metic of your prayers, how many they may be ; nor at the logic of your pray- 
ers, how methodical they may be ; but the sincerity of them he looks at." — 
T. Brooks. " Unbelief is the greatest sin, hinders the greatest works of 
God, and plunges the soul in condemnation." — Cramer, Yet weak faith is 
faith ; pray for its increase. 



Habk IX, 30-36.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. Ill 



ArTHOBizED Version*. Eevised Version. 

30 And they departed thence, and passed j 30 And they went forth from thence, and 
through Galilee; and he would not that any , passed through Galilee; and he would not 
man should know it. 31 that any man should know it. For he taught 

31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of 
them. The Son of man is delivered into the man is delivered up into the hands of men, 
hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after and they shall kill him; and when he is 
that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. killed, after three days he shall rise again. 

32 But they understood not that saying, and 32 But they understood not the saying, and 
were afraid "to ask him. were afraid to ask him. 

33 And he came to Capernaum: and being 33 And they came to Capernaum: and when 
in the house he asked them, What was it that he was in the house he asked them, What 
ye disputed among yourselves by the way ? 34 were ye reasoning in the way ? But they 

3-i But they held their peace: for by the way held their peace: for they had disputed one 

they had disputed among themselves, who should with another in the way, who was the 

be the greatest. 35 x greatest. And he sat down, and called the 

35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and twelve; and he saith unto them, If any man 
saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, would be first, he shall be last of all. and 
the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. 36 minister of all. And he took a little child, 

36 And he took a child, and set him in the \ and set him in the midst of them : and taking 

1 Gr. greater. 

30-32. Second Prediction of the Passion, A. D. 29. 

30. And they departed thence] From the regions of Hermon he now turned 
his steps once more toward Galilee. " It was the last time he was to visit the 
scene of so great a part of his public life, and he felt, as he journeyed on, that 
he would no more pass from village to village as openly as in days gone by, for 
the eyes of his enemies were everywhere upon him. ' ; 

and passed] The word thus translated occurs five times in the N. T., Mark 
ii, 23 ; xi, 20 ; Matt, xxvii, 39 ; Mark xv, 29. Here it means going on by- 
ways or aside from the most frequented roads. 

through Galilee] Some suppose that he left Caesarea Philippi, crossed the 
upper Jordan by a bridge, just below Lake Huleh, and went on toward Ca- 
pernaum. He went quietly, in order to have more opportunity to teach his 
disciples, as stated in the next verse. 

31. For he taught] The tense in the original implies that the constant 
subject of his teaching in private now was his approaching suffering, death 
and resurrection 5 "the third day;'' see R. V. 

32. were afraid] Matthew adds that they were "exceeding sorry.'' His 
words concerning his violent death contradicted all their expectations, and 
they feared to question him ; they had such forebodings of some terrible 
calamity, and shrank from asking, lest their worst apprehensions might be 
realized. 

33-41. True Greatness in Christ's Kingdom, A. D. 29. 

33. he came] or they came to Capernaum, as the R. V. reads. It was 
probably the house of Peter into which they entered. See i, 29. The next 
recorded event was the miraculous payment of the tribute money (Matt, xvii, 
24-27), the half-shekel for the temple service. Their dispute shows how fully 
they recognized Jesus as Messiah, but how far they were from a true con- 
ception of the character and conditions required of the members of his kingdom. 

34. icho should be the greatest] or " who was the greatest '' or "greater," 
as Meyer renders it. 

35. And he sat down] "If, observes Beza, there was to be any primacy 
among the apostles (as of Peter), why was Christ here silent about it?" 

36. "Set" or rather caused the child to stand, in the midst of them. Ob- 
serve the many graphic and pathetic touches in this and the following verse. 
(1) He sits down ; (2) He calls the twelve to him : (3) He takes a little child, 
and places it in the midst of them ; (4) He takes it into his arms, and then he 
speaks to them. 

took a child] There is a tradition, not very trustworthy, that this 



112 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark IX, 37-42. 



Revised Version. 

37 him in his arms, he said unto them, Whoso- 
ever shall receive one of such little children 
in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever 
receiveth me, receiveth not me, hut him that 
sent me. 

38 John said unto him, * Master, we saw one 
casting out 2 devils in thy name: andwefor- 

39 bade him, because he followed not us. But 
Jesus said, Forbid him not : for there is no 
man which shall do a 3 mighty work in my 
name, and be able quickly to speak evil of 

40 me. For he that is not against us is for us. 

41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water 
to drink, 4 because ye are Christ's, verily I 
say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his re- 

42 ward. And whosoever shall cause one of 



Authorized Version. 
midst of them : and when he had taken him in 
his arms, he said unto them, 

37 Whosoever shall receive one of such child- 
ren in my name, receiveth me : and whosoever 
shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that 
sent me. 

38 And John answered him, saying, Master, 
we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and 
he followeth not us: and we forbade him, be- 
cause he followeth not us. 

39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not : for there 
is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, 
that can lightly speak evil of me. 

40 For he that is not against us is on our part. 

41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water 
to drink in my name, because ye belong to 
Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose 
his reward. 

42 And whosoever shall offend one of these 

1 Or, Teacher 2 Gr. demons. 3 Gr. power. 4 Gr. in name that ye are. 
child was Ignatius the Martyr, who was pastor at Antioch about A. D. 68 to 
107. Others suggest that it was a child of one of the apostles, perhaps of 
Peter. ' ' God has no children too weak, but a great many too strong, to 
make use of. God stands in no need of our strength or wisdom." — Moody. 

38. And John answered hirri] The words in my name, of v. 37, seem to 
have reminded John of an incident in their recent journey, and he was proba- 
bly anxious to divert discourse to a less humiliating subject, or to call atten- 
tion to what he thought a proper act of his. 

because he followeth not us] not "because he followeth not thee. 1,1 It is the 
utterance of excited party feeling. " There are men calling themselves 
Christians, who seem to look with doubt and suspicion on all that is done by 
those who do not walk with them. True likeness to the Saviour would lead 
us to rejoice... that the kingdom of Christ is advanced, whether by a Presby- 
terian, an Episcopalian, a Baptist, or a Methodist." — Barnes. "Some are 
so outrageously wedded to their own creed that they would rather let sinners 
perish than suffer those who differ from them to become the instruments of 
their salvation. This is vanity and an evil disease." — A. Clarke. 

39. Forbid him not] Compare the words of Joshua and the reply of 
Moses in Num. xi, 28, 29. " that all Christians would remember this." 
"A strong reproof to bigots who are ready to deny the Christian or churchly 
name to those who are not of their own organization." — -Whedon. No one 
working in Christ's name in good faith is to be forbidden. 

40. on our part] Some, as Lachmann, 
read, "not against you is on your part." 

41. cup of water] See R. V. and mar- 
ginal reading of this verse. ' ' Life affords 
few opportunities of doing great services 
for others, but there is scarcely an hour of 
the day that does not afford us the oppor- 
tunity of performing some little, it may be, 
unnoticed kindness." — Bowes. "The dis- 
position to give a cup of cold water to a 
disciple is a far nobler property than the 
finest intellect. Satan has a fine intellect, 
but not the image of God." — Howels. 

42. a millstone] See R. V. Literally, 
an ass millstone, a millstone turned by an 
ass. These were much larger and heavier 

MILLSTONES. 










Hark IX, 43^9.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



113 



Revised Version. 
these little ones that believe x on me to stum- 
ble, it were better for him if 2 a great mill- 
stone were hanged about his neck, and he 

43 were cast into the sea. And if thy hand 
cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good 
for thee to enter into life maimed, rather 
than having thy two hands to go into 3 hell, 

45 into the unquenchable fire. 4 And if thy foot 
cause thee to stumble, cut it off : it is good 
for thee to enter into life halt, rather than 
having thy two feet to be cast into 3 hell. 

47 And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, cast 
it out: it is good for thee to enter into the 
kingdom of God with one eye, rather than 

48 having two eyes to be cast into 3 hell ; where 
their worm dieth not, and the fire is not 

49 quenched. For every one shall be salted 



Authorized Version. 
little ones that believe in me, it is better for him 
that a millstone were hanged about his neck, 
and he were cast into the sea. 

43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is 
better for thee to enter into life maimed, than 
having two hands to go into hell, into the fire 
that never shall be quenched : 

44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is 
not quenched. 

45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is 
^better for thee to enter halt into life, than hav- 
^ing two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire 

that never shall be quenched : 

46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is 
not quenched. 

47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: 
it is better for thee* to enter into the kingdom 
of God with one eye, than having two eyes to 
be cast into hell fire : 

48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is 
not quenched. 

49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and 
every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. 

x Many ancient authorities omit on me. 3 Gr. a mitUtone turned by an ass. 3 Gr. Gehenna. 
* Ver. 44 and 46 (which are identical with ver. 48) are omitted by the best ancient authorities. 

than the stones of hand-mills. Comp. Ov. Fast, vi, 318, and Sueton, Oct. 
lxvii. Such a mode of punishment by drowning is noted by Josephus (Antiq. 
xiv, 15, 10). Charity and unity of Christians are specially enforced here by 
our Lord. 

43. offend thee] or, cause thee to stumble. See R. V. Our Lord makes 
special mention of the hand, the foot, the eye, those members whereby we do 
amiss, or walk astray, or gaze on what is sinful. 

into hell] Literally, the Gehenna, or the Gehenna of fire (v. 47). Pri- 
marily, this phrase was applied to the "Ravine of Hinnom," also called 
u Topheth" (2 Kings xxiii, 10; Isa. xxx, 33; Josh, xviii, 16), on the 
south of Mount Zion. Its total length is a mile and a half. It is a deep, 
retired glen, shut in by rugged cliffs, with the bleak mountain sides rising 
over all. It became notorious in the times of Ahaz and Manasseh, as the 
scene of the barbarous rites of Molech and Chemosh, when the idolatrous 
inhabitants of Jerusalem cast their sons and daughters into the red-hot arms 
of a monster idol of brass placed at the opening of the ravine (2 Kings xvi, 3 ; 
2Chron. xxviii,3 ; Jer. vii, 31). To put an end to these abominations the place 
was polluted by Josiah, who spread over it human bones and other corruptions 
(2 Kings xxiii, 10, 13, 14), from which time it seems to have become the 
common cesspool of the city. These inhuman rites and subsequent cere- 
monial defilement caused the later Jews to regard it with horror and detesta- 
tion, and they also applied the name given to the valley, to the place of tor- 
ment. Verses 44 and 46 are not found in many of the best MSS.. but the 
same words are found in verse 48. 

48. fire is not quenched] This phrase, though omitted by several authori- 
ties, in verses 44 and 46, is certainly genuine here. Endless punishment 
was a common doctrine in Christ's day, as now. The Pharisees held it, 
and Philo says, " The punishment of the wicked is to live forever dying, and 
to be for ever in pains and griefs that never cease." — Quoted by M. Henry. 
Whatever question there may be over the words in Matt, xviii, 8, there can 
be none here, respecting the endless duration of the punishment. Besides, 
the language implies that the sin will be endless as well as the punishment 
of it. 

49. every one shall be salted with fire] The last clause is omitted in the 
8 



114 



PEOPLE S COMMENTARY 



[Mark IX, 50. 



Authorized Version. 
50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his 
saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have 
salt in yourselves, and have peace one with an- 
other. 



Revised Version. 
50 with fire 1 . Salt is good : hut if the salt have 
lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? 
Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one 
with another. 



1 Many ancient authorities add and every sacrifice shall be sailed with salt. See Lev. ii. 13. 

E. V. This is one of the most difficult passages in the Gospel, though the 
difficulty is greatly diminished by omitting the last clause of the verse, "every 
sacrifice," etc., as the revisionists, following the best authorities, have done. 
Those who accept the last clause as authentic, have various explanations : (1) 
Some, as Michaelis, Whitby, Alexander, Cook, apply the verse to the lost, as 
being preserved by and in this " salting of fire," in hell. This seems far- 
fetched. (2) Some refer it to the fiery trials of the righteous, who offer them- 
selves a willing sacrifice to God. (3) Others, that the first clause of the verse 
refers to all members of the church, good and bad, whom the fire will try (1 
Cor. iii, 13) ; and the second clause to the preserving effect of his grace on 
believers. Omitting the last clause as not authentic, and the verse may be 
explained: (1) All must enter the fire of God's purity, either willingly, as 
living sacrifices, like believers, or, unwillingly, into the fire of judgment, the 
eternal fire ; or, (2) as referring to fire as a refiner, and limiting it to believ- 
ers, their trials, sufferings, etc., which will cleanse and purify them. This view 
seems to be favored by the "these " of the context ; as such persons were to 
cut off hand or foot, or pluck out the eye, if needful to purify themselves. 

60. Salt is good] See Matt, v, 13, where it refers to believers ; here, to 
the inward grace of the heart. 

have lost] "It was the belief of the Jews that salt would, by exposure to 
the air, lose its virtue (Matt, v, 13) and become saltless. The same fact is 
implied in the expressions of Pliny, sal iners, sal tabescere, and Maundrell 
asserts that he found the surface of a salt rock in this condition." — Camb. 
Bible. 

his saltness'] Observe his here, where we should now use its. This is fre- 
quently the case in the Bible, and indeed the word its does not occur at all in 
the Version of 1611. 

Have salt in yourselves] Among Orientals, salt was a sign of sacred 
covenant engagements and obligations (Lev. ii, 13 ; 2 ChrOn. xiii, 5). To 
eat salt together, meant to make peace, and enter into covenant with 
each other. Hence, in view of the contention between the disciples, the 
warning was timely to have salt in themselves and be at peace one with another. 

Practical Suggestions. — " True greatness consists in perfect loveliness." 
— Luther. " In the kingdom of humility there is no contention. The more 
humble and simple we are, the nearer we are to the Saviour." — Gossner. 
' ' Give up anything that stands between us and the salvation of our souls. 
To an intolerant spirit we owe some of the blackest pages of church history. 
Better a thousand times that thy work should be done by other hands than 
not done at all." — Ryle. 

Ch. X. 1-12. Marriage Legislation of. the Pharisees, A. D. 29 and 30. 

As some help to the right study of this Gospel, notice that "the best har- 
monists place Matt, xviii, 15-35; Luke x, 1-xviii, 10 (except xv, 3-7); and 
John vii, 1-xi, 54, between the 9th and 10th chapters of Mark. — Ellicott. 

According to Perowne and Maclear, the most important of the intervening 
events were : 

1. The visit of our Lord to Jerusalem at the feast of tabernacles (John vii, 
8-10) ; 2. The rebuke of the " sons of thunder 1 ' (Luke ix, 51-56) ; 3. Dis- 
courses during the feast, and an attempt of the Sanhedrin to apprehend him 



Mark X, 1-2.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



115 



Atthokized Version. 

CHAP. X. — And he arose from thence, and 
cometh into the coasts of Judea by the 
farther side of Jordan : and the people resort 
unto him again ; and, as he was wont, he taught 
them again. 

2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked 
him, Is it lawful for a man to put away 7m wife? 
tempting him. 



Revised Version. 
10 And he arose from thence, and cometh 
into the borders of Judaea and beyond Jor- 
dan: and multitudes come together unto 
him again ; and, as he was wont, he taught 
2 them again. And there came unto him 
Pharisees, and asked him, Is it lawful for a 
man to put away his wife ? tempting him. 
? And he answered and said unto them, What 



(John vii, 11-51 , viii, 12-59) ; 4. The opening of the eyes of one born 
blind (John ix, 1-41 ; the good Shepherd (John x, 1-18) ; 5. Ministrations 
in Judea (Luke x, etc.; 6. Visit to Jerusalem at the feast of dedication 
( John x, 22-39); 7. Tour in Per cea (Luke xiii, 22; xvii, 11); 8. The rais- 
ing of Lazarus (John xi, 1-46) ; 9. Resolve of the Sanhedrin to put him to 
death, and his retirement to Ephraim (John xi, 47-54). 

Robinson supposes that Jesus did not return to Galilee again, but went 
from Ephraim into Peraea, and this has been the commonly-accepted view. 
Clark dissents, and suggests that Jesus went from Ephraim on a tour into 
Samaria and Galilee ; but his theory rests on a slender basis. Andrews fol- 
lows Robinson, and fixes the departure of Jesus (verse 1) in November, A. D. 
29, and the subsequent events (vs. 2 — 31), early in A. D. 30. 

1» he arose] from Ephraim, according to Robinson, Geikie and others ; 
or, according to some, this was his final departure from Galilee. The precise 
course of our Lord's journey is not clearly known. The place, whither he 
retired, has been identified with Ophrah, in the wide desert country northeast 
of Jerusalem, about five miles from Bethel, and on the confines of Samaria. 
So Eusebius and Jerome locate it, which has led to the identification of this 
Ophrah with the modern village of et-Taiyibeh. John's narrative shows that 
he visited Jerusalem twice in the interval, and hence + his account (see R. V.) 
is literally correct. "He had already been in Peraea, or at least on the bor- 
ders (John x, 40), after the feast of dedication, and before the raising of Laz- 
arus." — Schaff. This appears to coincide with Robinson, though Schaff and 
Riddle interpret Mark x, 1, as referring to Chrkt'c final departure from Ca- 
pernaum and Galilee, and not from Ephraim or Peraea, as Robinson implies. 

beyond Jordan] The R. V. clearly implies that he went into Percea. The 
"again," also, seems to imply a previous visit to Peraea, and favors the 
view of Robinson and others, as Clark concedes. 

he taught them again] Portions of his teaching are recorded by Luke, and 
include the parables of (1) the unjust judge, and (2) the Pharisee and the pub- 
lican (Luke xviii, 1-14). In the region now traversed probably occurred 
the healing of the ten lepers (Luke xvii, 12-19), according to some schol- 
ars, but Robinson places it in Samaria, and during Christ's journey to the 
feast of tabernacles at Jerusalem. 

2. Is it lawful 1 ?] "Nothing is lawful to any man who doubts its lawful- 
ness. — Farrar. 

for a man to put away his wife] "for every cause!" as Matthew adds 
(Matt, xix, 3). On this point the rival schools of Hillel and Schammai were 
divided, the former adopting the more loose, the latter the stricter view: the 
one holding that any dislike which he felt towards her would justify a man 
in putting away his wife, or even if she cooked his dinner badly ; the other, 
that only notorious unchastity could be a sufficient reason. It has also been 
suggested that the object of the question may have been to offend the adulter- 
ous tetrarch, in whose territory he was. The American revisers read " try- 
ing," or "making trial of," in place of "tempting." 



116 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark X, 3-12. 



Revised Tersion. 

4 did Moses command you ? And they said, 
Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, 

5 and to put her away. But Jesus said unto 
them, For your hardness of heart he wrote 

6 you this commandment. But from "the begin- 
ning of the creation. Male and female made 

7 he them. For this cause shall a man leave his 
father and mother, * and shall cleave to his 

8 wife ; and the twain shall become one flesh : 
so that they are no more twain, but one flesh. 

9 What therefore God hath joined together, 

10 let not man put asunder. And in the house 
the disciples asked him again of this matter. 

11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall 
put away his wife, and marry another, com- 

12 mitteth adultery against her : and if she her- 
self shall put away her husband, and marry 
another, she committeth adultery. 



Authorized Version. 

3 And he answered and said unto them, 
What did Moses command you? 

4 And they said, Moses suffered to write abill 
of divorcement, and to put her away. 

5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, 
For the hardness of your heart he wrote you 
this precept. 

6 But from the beginning of the creation God 
made them male and female. 

7 For this cause shall a man leave his father 
and mother, and cleave to his wife ; 

8 And they twain shall be one flesh : so then 
they are no more twain, but one flesh. 

9 What therefore God hath joined together, 
let not man put asunder. 

10 And in the house his disciples asked him 
again of the same matter. 

11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall 
put away his wife, and marry another, commit- 
teth adultery against her. 

12 And if a woman shall put away her hus- 
band, and be married to another, she commit- 
teth adultery. 

1 Some ancient authorities omit and shall cleave to his wife. 

3. What did Noses'] By appealing to Moses, Jesus made an irresistible 
argument against easy divorces. 

4. Moses suffered] They admit that Moses did not command, but only 
suffered this. Hovey suggests that u Moses merely presupposed the exist- 
ence of this practice, and, by regulating, suffered it." 

5. this precept] The depraved and low condition of society and of their 
hearts caused Moses to make this rule to regulate, not to introduce, easy di- 
vorces. 

7. For this cause] He thus shows that God designed the marriage tie to 
be the closest and most indissoluble of all ties, and, according to Matthew 
(xix, 9), rebukes the adultery of Herod Antipas (though without naming 
him), in the severest terms. 

8. they twain] the " two." " Twain " or "two " is not in the Hebrew, 
though it is fairly implied. The Septuagint and the Samaritan versions have 
it, however. 

9. What therefore God] In G-en. ii, 24 these are the words of Adam ; 
in Matthew xix, 4, the words of God ; in Mark the words of Christ. They 
are words of Adam as uttering prophetically a divine ordinance ; the words 
of God, as being eternally valid ; the words of Christ, as rules for Christian 
life reestablished by him. 

10. in the house] Mark records several confidential household words of 
our Lord to his disciples ; e. g., concerning (1) the power of casting out de- 
mons (ix, 28, 29) ; (2) the great in the kingdom of heaven (ix, 33-37) ; and 
(3) here, the Christian law of marriage. 

11. marry another] Some regard this as forbidding re-marriage after di- 
vorce under any circumstances ; others as forbidding it only after divorce for 
other causes than adultery ; but it implies where a divorce is granted because of 
infidelity to marriage vows, the innocent party thus divorced may marry again. 

12. if a woman shall put away] This is the only instance in which Jesus 
states the nature of the guilt of a wife who leaves her husband and marries 
again. He also gives rules regarding the husband who divorces his wife, and 
the wife so divorced. "All three cases are dealt with on the same grounds : (1) 
that the marriage relationship ought to be indissoluble, and that one cause 
only (fornication) justifies or permits its dissolution ; (2) that any further per- 
mission of divorce is but a concession to the hardness of men's hearts for the 
avoidance of greater evils." — Ellicott. 



Mark X, 13-16.] OK THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 117 



Revised Version. 

13 And they brought unto him little children, 
that he should touch them: and the disciples 

14 rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he 
was moved with indignation, and said unto 
them, Suffer the little children to come unto 
me: forbid them not: for of such is the 

15 kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, 
Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of 
God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter 

16 therein. And he took them in his arms, and 
blessed them, laying his hands upon them. 



Authorized Version. 

13 And they brought young children to him, 
that he should touch them : and his disciples 
rebuked those that brought them. 

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much dis- 
pleased, and said unto them, Suffer the little 
children to come unto me, and forbid them not : 
for of such is the kingdom of God. 

15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not 
receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he 
6hall not enter therein. 

16 And he took them up in his arms, put his 
hands upon them, and blessed them. 

Illustration. — There is a fine allegorical representation of marriage on an 
antique gem belonging to the Duke of Marlborough. It presents the mar- 
riage of Cupid and Psyche. (1) Both are winged, to show the alacrity with 
which husband and wife should help each other ; (2) both are veiled, to show 
the modesty attending this relation; (3) Hymen or marriage holds a lighted 
torch, leading them by a chain, to show they are unitedly led by pure 
love ; (4) the chain is not of iron or brass, but of pearls, indicating that they 
are not slaves, but willing lovers ; (5) they hold a dove, an emblem of inno- 
cence and fidelity ; (6) a winged Cupid has gone before, to prepare a feast 
of love; (7) another comes behind with ripe fruits to place in their hands, a 
promise of happiness in children ; (8) the genius of love follows them, with 
wings of feathers shrivelled, to intimate that love is never to fly away, but 
ever to abide with them. 

13-16. Jesus Receives Little Children, A. D. 30. 

13. they brought] The American revisers' rendering is better, " were bring- 
ing," and so in Lukexviii, 15. These probably were certain parents who hon- 
ored him and valued his benediction. The children" in Mark and Matthew 
are "infants " in Luke xviii, 15. The Greek word here is Tcatdia the common 
one for a " child" of any age. The word "young" or " little " is added in 
the English version, though the R. V. lacks uniformity in its renderings. See 
Mark vii, 28 ; Luke vii, 32 ; xi, 7, where the same word is used. In Luke 
the Greek for "infants" is another word. Nicephorus says that Ignatius, 
afterward the bishop and martyr of Antioch, was one of these children. 

that he should touch them] or, as Matthew adds, that he should lay his 
hands upon them and pray for them (xix, 13). Hebrew mothers were accus- 
tomed, in this manner, to seek a blessing for their children from rabbis of 
special holiness, who were wont to lay their hands upon them. " After the 
father of the child," says the Talmud, "had laid his hands on his child's 
head, he led him to the elders, one by one, and they also blessed him, and 
prayed that he might grow up famous in the law, faithful in marriage, and 
abundant in good works." 

disciples rebuked those] ' ' How chilling the rebuke of these disciples to fond 
parents, who had doubtless been greatly moved and drawn by the wise and 
tender words of Jesus ?" — Clark. 

14. of such] or " to such belongs the kingdom of God" as the American 
revisers render it. He says not of these, but of such, showing that it is not to 
children only, but also to such as have the like innocence and simplicity, the 
reward is promised. " Little children are not guileful or deceitful, but plain 
and simple ; they are strangers to artful disguises ; they are not obstinate ; 
they rely on the instruction of their parents. . . . Here is, therefore, a 
fit and lively emblem of the followers of the Lamb." — J". Edwards. But 
President Edwards lived in another age ; were he living now, might he not 
qualify somewhat his statement respecting children ? 

16« took them up in his arms] or "folded them in his arms." See 



118 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark X, 17-19. 



Revised Veesion. 

17 And as he was going forth x into the way- 
there ran one to him, and kneeled to him 
and asked him, Good 2 Master, what shall I 

18 do that I may inherit eternal life? And 
Jesus 6aid unto him, Why callest thou me 

19 good ? none is good §ave one, even God. Thou 
knowest the commandments, Do not kill, Do 



Authorized Version. 

17 And when he was gone forth into the 
way, there came one running, and kneeled to 
him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I 
do that I may inherit eternal life ? 

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou 
me good ? there is none good but one, that is, 
God. 

19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not 
commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do 

1 Or, on his way 2 Or, Teacher 

chap, ix, 36 for the same Greek word. Twice we read of our Lord taking 
persons into his arms, and both times they were children, and both times the 
scenes are recorded only by Mark (ix, 36 ; x, 16). 

blessed them~\ or, He blesses them, according to some MSS. The present 
tense is in keeping with the graphic style of Mark. Or, according to other 
MSS. and authorities (some of them the best), it reads, "fervently blessed 
them." 

Practical Suggestions. — "Our children are given to us but for a little 
time. They are in a world of danger, sin and woe. They are exposed to 
temptation on every hand. If God be not their friend, they have no friend 
that can aid them in the day of adversity or keep them from the snares of the 
destroyer." — Barnes. " The children . . . were brought to Jesus by per- 
sons interested in them, in reliance on his power, in faith of the virtue which 
might proceed from him. When a like faith is shown in a like manner, the 
conduct of our Lord gives reason to suppose that he will not withhold Ms 
blessing. ' ' — Bishop Sumner. 

17-31. The Rich Young Ruler, A. D., 30. 

17. when he was gone forth] See R. V. He was just starting, it would 
seem, on his last journey toward Jerusalem. 

one] He was young (Matt, xix, 22), of great wealth, and a ruler of a local 
synagogue .(Luke xviii, 18). All the Evangelists relate this incident in the 
same connection. 

running] Ran up to him, apparently from behind, eager and breathless ; 
then he knelt before him, as was usual before a venerated rabbi. 

what shall I do] what work of merit? He had probably observed our 
Lord's gracious reception of children, and he desired to have part in the 
kingdom promised to them. His question betrays his serious deficiencies. Not 
by doing, but by being, was an entrance into it to be obtained. He also 
would " inherit," i. e., have the kingdom by right, not by grace. 

18. Why callest thou, me good ?[ " As if he had said, ' Thou falsely call- 
est me good Master unless thou acknowledgest that I have come from God.' " 
— John Calvin. The emphasis is on the "why." " Dost thou know what 
thou meanest when thou givest me this appellation?" If we combine the 
question and rejoinder as given by Matthew and Luke, it would seem to have 
run, Why askest thou me about the good f and why callest thou me good ? 
None is good save one, God; i. e., "good" in the absolute sense. Jesus 
repels it only in the superficial sense of the questioner, who regarded him 
merely as a good rabbi. Against the use of this by the Socinians, Stier puts 
these pointed syllogisms : Either (1) there is none good but God — Christ 
is good, therefore Christ is God — or (2) there is none good but God — Christ 
is not God, therefore Christ is not good." 

19. Thou knowest the commandments] The young man is referred to the 
commandments of the second table only, and they are cited generally from 
Ex. xx, 12-17. A striking instance of the free mode of quotation from the 
Old Testament, even in such a case as the ten commandments. Here the 



Mark X, 20-22.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



119 



Authorized Version.* 
not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy 
father and mother. 

20 And he answered and said unto him, Mas- 
ter, all these have I observed from my youth. 

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and 
said unto him, One thing thou lackest : go thy 
way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the 
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : 
and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 

22 And he was sad at that saying, and went 
away grieved: for he had great possessions. 



1 Or, Teacher 



Revised Version. 
not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not 
bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honour 

20 thy father and mother. And he said unto 
him, * Master, all these things have I ob- 

21 served from my youth. And Jesus looking 
upon him loved him, and said unto him, One 
thing thou lackest : go, sell whatsoever thou 
hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt 
have treasure in heaven : and come, follow 

22 me. But his countenance fell at the saying, 
and he went away sorrowful : for he was one 
that had great possessions. 



seventh, then the sixth, eighth, ninth, tenth, and lastly fifth, are named. So 
in Luke. Matthew gives the sixth first, then the seventh, and then adds : 
" Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 

Defraud not] The word thus rendered occurs in 1 Cor. vi, 7, 8 ; vii, 5 ; 1 
Tim. vi, 5 ; James v, 4. It means deprive none of what is theirs, and has been 
thought to give the sum of the four commandments which precede, or most 
probably, of the tenth commandment. 

Honor thy father and mother'] Rendered by Wyclif ' ' worschippe thi fadir 
and modir," which illustrates the meaning of the word as used in the Episco- 
pal Marriage Service, " with my body I thee worship "== honor. 

20. all these have I observed] adding, according to Matthew, what lack I 
yet f We are told that when the angel of death came to fetch R. Cha- 
mina, he said : "Go and fetch me the book of the law, and see whether there 
is anything in it that I have not kept.' 1 '' — Farrar, The ruler was a sincere, 
moral, but self-righteous and conceited young man. 

21. beholding him] The same word, which occurs also in v. 27, in the 
original is applied (1) to the Baptist, when he " looked upon Jesus " (John i, 
36) ; (2) to our Lord's look at Peter (3) when he named him Cephas (John 
i, 42), and (4) when he turned and looked upon him just before the cock crew 
for the second time (Luke xxii, 61). 

loved him] or ivas pleased with him. Lightfoot remarks that the Jewish 
rabbis were wont to kiss the head of such pupils as answered well. Some 
gesture at least we may believe that our Lord used to show that the young 
man pleased him, both by his question and by his answer. 

One thing thou lackest] Jesus does not concede that he had kept the law, 
but instead of stating his failure generally, he calls on the young man to give 
up what is his idol — a short, sharp test of his real condition. The young man 
fancied himself willing to do whatever could be required : he could now see 
if he were really willing. This test is applicable wherever the idol is the 
same, i. e., wealth. 

take up the cross and follow me] See ch. viii, 34; and R. V., which omits 
"take up the cross," as do the best MSS. Poor, friendless, outlawed, Je- 
sus abated no jot of his awful claims, loftier than human monarch had ever 
dreamed of making, on all who sought citizenship in his kingdom. 

22. he was sad] "Sorrowful," says Matthew (xix, 22) ; u very sorrow- 
ful," says Luke (xviii, 23) ; Mark says, "his countenance fell," R. V., or 
"he frowned," with a cloud upon his brow. The original word only occurs in 
one other place, Matt, xvi, 3, "for the sky is red and lowering." The test 
fell where least expected, but where most needed. 

had great possessions] ' ' great, ' ' or literally, ' ' many ' ' possessions may refer 
to various kinds of property, or a large amount of property. The former is 
the strict meaning of the Greek. His possessions he could not easily give up 
for possessions in heaven, and made, as Dante calls it, "the great refusal! " 



120 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Make X, 23-29. 



' Revised Version. 

23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith 
unto his disciples, How hardly shall they 
that have riches enter into the kingdom of 

24 God ! And the disciples were amazed at his 
words. But Jesus answereth again, and 
saith unto them, Children, how hard is it 
1 for them that trust in riches to enter into 

25 the kingdom of God ! It is easier for a camel 
to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich 

26 man to enter into the kingdom of God. And 
they were astonished exceedingly, saying 

27 2 unto him, Then who can be saved ? Jesus 
looking upon them saith, With men it is im- 
possible, but not with God : for all things are 

28 possible with God. Peter began to say unto 
him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed 

29 thee. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, 
There is no man that hath left house, or 
brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or 
children, or lands, for my sake, and for the 



Authorized Version. 

23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith 
unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that 
have riches enter into the kingdom of God ? 

24 And the disciples were astonished at his 
words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith 
unto them, Children, how hard is it for them 
that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom 
of God ! 

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the 
eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter 
into the kingdom of God. 

26 And they were astonished out of measure, 
saying among themselves, Who then can be 
saved? 

27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With 
men it is impossible, but not with God : for with 
God all things are possible. 

28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, 
we have left all, and have followed thee. 

29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say 
unto you, There is no man that hath left house, 
or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or 
wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the 
gospel's, 

1 Some ancient authorities omit for them that trust in riches. 2 Many ancient authorities read 
among themselves. 

Concerning his later history and final decision the Scriptures are silent, and 
conjectures are worthless. " Yet within a few months," says Keble, " hun- 
dreds in Jerusalem remembered and obeyed this saying of our Lord, and 
brought their goods and laid them at the apostles' feet " (Acts iv, 34-37). 

23. looked round about] Bengel observes that the countenance of Christ 
is often described as moved and affected by a deep and painful feeling for his 
hearers. Comp. Mark iii, 5, 34; viii, 33; Luke vi, 10; xxii, 61. 

24. Children'] a title intended to soften the sadness and sternness of his 
words. 

for them that trust in riches] Some important MSS. omit these words, and 
read, " Children, how hard it is to enter into the kingdom of Grod." But the 
accepted reading harmonizes better with the context. 

25. It is easier for a camel] This figure has been variously interpreted. 
(1) Some have rendered it an "anchor-rope," as though the word was u ka- 
milon" and not " Jcamelon ;" but this is unsatisfactory. (2) Others think it 

refers to the side gate for foot passengers, close by the 
principal gate, called in the East the " eye of a needle "; 
or to the little gate within the larger ; but (3) it is better 
to understand the words literally, as an Oriental proverb. 
Similar proverbs are common in the Talmud, e. g., the 
same as this, except it uses an elephant instead of a 
camel, and this is quite in harmony with the modes of 
expression common in the East. 

27. impossible] Their conclusion showed a lack of 
knowledge of God's wonderful works among his people 
"needle's eye." informer ages, and a weak faith. "The character of 
the true philosopher is to hope all things not impossible, and to believe all 
things not unreasonable." — John Herschel. 

28. and have followed thee] adding, as Matthew relates, "what shall we 
have therefore?" In reply to which our Lord uttered glorious words re- 
specting the twelve thrones to be occupied by the apostles "in the regenera- 
tion," or "restoration of all things" (Matt, xix, 28). 




Mark X, 30-32.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



121 



Authorized Version. 

30 But he shall receive a hundredfold now in 
this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and 
mothers, and children, and lands, with persecu- 
tions ; and in the world to come eternal life. 

31 But many that are first shall be last ; and 
the last first. 

32 And they were in the way going up to 
Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and 
they were amazed ; and as they followed, they 
were afraid. And he took again the twe lve, and 
began to tell them what things should happen 
unto him. 



Revised Version. 
30 gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hun- 
dredfold now in this time, houses, and breth- 
ren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, 
and lands, with persecutions; and in the 
1 world to come eternal life. But many that 
are first shall be last ; and the last first. 

And they were in the way, going up to Je- 
rusalem; and Jesus was going before them: 
and they were amazed ; 2 and they that fol- 
lowed were afraid. And betook again the 
twelve, and began to tell them the things 



31 



32 



1 Or, age 2 Or, but some as they followed were afraid 

30. a hundredfold. . . houses'] ' ' This cannot be taken literally, as promising 
a hundred times as many mothers, sisters, etc. It means, that the loss shall 
be a hundred times compensated or made up ; or that in religion here we have 
a hundred times the value of all that we forsake." — Barnes. 

with persecutions'] an important limitation. See 2 Cor. xii, 10 ; 2 Thess. 
i, 4; 2 Tim. iii, 11. 

31. many that are first] Very signally was the former part of this verse 
fulfilled temporarily in the case of Peter himself, finally in that of Judas ; 
while the latter was wonderfully realized in the instance of Paul. To impress 
upon his hearers the important lesson that entrance into the kingdom of 
heaven is not a matter of mercenary calculation, our Lord delivered the para- 
ble of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt, xx, 1-16). 

Practical Suggestions. — "A great fortune is great slavery." — Seneca. 
"He hath riches sufficient who hath enough to be charitable." — Six T. 
Browne. " Great abundance of riches cannot of any man be both gathered 
and kept without sin." — Erasmus. u Riches, for the most part, are hurtful 
to them that possess them." — Plutarch. Of a rich man it was said, u Poor 
man ! he toiled day and night, until he was forty, to gain wealth, and he has 
been watching it ever since for his victuals and clothes." 

32 — 34. Third Prediction of the Passion, A. D. 30. 

32. they were in the way] Our Lord would seem to have now joined the 
caravans of the Galilean pilgrims going up to Jerusalem. 

and Jesus went before them] Grotius and Trench suggest that, after the 
manner of some leader who heartens his soldiers by choosing the place of 
danger for himself, so Jesus led his disciples. And Cowper finely sings : 
" The Saviour, what a noble flame 
Was kindled in his breast, 
When, hastening to Jerusalem, 
He marched before the rest ! ' ' 

and as they followed] or, " they that followed. " — R. V. See also margin. 
The American revisers omit the marginal reading. The passage reads as 
though there were two bands of the apostles, of whom one went foremost, 
while the other had fallen behind. There are two explanations: (1) The 
whole body were amazed ; some continued to follow, and these were afraid ; 
(2) the twelve closest to him were amazed, and the larger company of follow- 
ers farthest behind were afraid. This is the most satisfactory. " There are 
few pictures in the Gospel more striking than this of Jesus going forth to his 
death, and walking along the path into the deep valley, while behind him, in 
awful reverence and mingled anticipations of dread and hope — their eyes fixed 
on him, as with bowed head he preceded them in all the majesty of sorrow — 
the disciples walked behind and dared not disturb his meditations." — Farrar. 

And he took again] for the third time he tells them privately of his coming 



122 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark X, 33-39. 



Revised Version. 

33 that were to happen unto him, saying, Be- 
hold, we go up to Jerusalem ; and the Son 
of man shall be delivered unto the chief 
priests and the scribes ; and they shall con- 
demn him to death, and shall deliver him 

34 unto the Gentiles: and they shall mock him, 
and shall spit upon him, and shall scourge 
him, and shall kill him ; and after three days 
he shall rise again. 

35 And there come near unto him James and 
John, the sons of Zebedee, saying unto him, 
1 Master, we would that thou shouldest do 

36 for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. And 
he said unto them, What would ye that I 

37 should do for you? And they said unto him, 
Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy 
right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy 

38 glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know 
not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the 
cup that I drink ? or to be baptized with the 

39 baptism that I am baptized with ? And they 
said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said 



Authorized Version. 

33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem ; and 
the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief 
priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall 
condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to 
the Gentiles: 

34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge 
him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him : 
and the third day he shall rise again. 

35 And James and John, the sons of Zebe- 
dee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would 
that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we 
shall desire. 

36 And he said unto them, What would ye that 
I should do for you ? 

37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we 
may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other 
on thy left hand, in thy glory. 

38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not 
what ye ask : can ye drink of the cup that I 
drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that 
I am baptized with ? 

39 And they said unto him, We can. And 
Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of 

1 Or, Teacher 

suffering. The two previous occasions are described in (1) Mark viii, 31, in 
the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, just after Peter's confession, and (2) 
Mark ix, 30-32, shortly afterward, during the return to Capernaum. The 
particulars are now more full and more clear than ever before, and imply a 
judicial arrest and trial. Matthew (xx, 17) distinctly tells us that it was made 
privately to the apostles. 

34. and shall kill him~\ or, as Matthew adds, " crucify him " (see Matt. 
xx, 19). Luke lays stress upon the fact that the disciples would not and 
could not understand his words (Luke xviii, 34). The terms seem plain 
enough to us, but they looked for him to reign as the Messiah, and, according 
to the prevailing view of their times, become a temporal king, a successor of 
David, to revive the splendors of his age. How could they understand his 
prediction to harmonize with such a view? The firmness with which this idea 
of a temporal reign had fixed itself in their minds is indicated by the request 
of James and John in the next verse. 

35-45. The Ambitious Apostles, A. D. 30. 

35. James and John] In this their mother, Salome joined, she falling on 
her knees (Matt, xx, 20). How ill-timed and circuitous the request! In- 
deed, the attempt to have Christ grant it before he heard what it was looks as if 
they were ashamed to ask, or were conscious that it might properly be refused. 

37. that we may sit] Whether the mention of thrones (Matt, xix, 28), as 
in waiting for the twelve at the coming of their Master in glory, suggested the 
idea or not, is uncertain, unless Luke xix, 11 throws light on it. The two 
places on the right and left hand of a king or other person of dignity have 
ever been recognized, East and West, as the positions of honor. u In thy 
glory ' ' refers to the earthly splendor of his kingdom. 

38. baptism I am baptized with] Byle calls attention to this expression 
as very remarkable, and thinks it implies u that there is such a thing as being 
baptized, in a certain sense, without the use of any outward form." And 
Clark and Olshausen regard the phrase as signifying not a literal baptism, but 
as a figurative description of the overwhelming sufferings of Jesus. 

39. And they said unto him, We can] They knew not at the time what 
they said, but afterward they were enabled to drink of that cup, and to be 
baptized with that baptism of suffering. James was the first martyr of the 



Mark. X, 40-45.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MAEK. 



123 



Revised Version. 

unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall 
drink ; and with the baptism that I am bap- 

40 tized withal shall ye be baptized : but to sit 
on my right hand or on my left hand is not 
mine to give : but it is for them for whom it 

41 hath been prepared. And when the ten 
heard it, they began to be moved with indig- 

42 nation concerning James and John. And 
Jesus called them to him, and saith unto 
them, Ye know that they which are ac- 
counted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over 
them; and their great ones exercise author- 

43 ity over them. But it is not so among you : 
but whosoever would become great among 

44 you, shall be your x minister: ana whosoever 
would be first among you, shall be 2 servant 

45 of all. For verily the'Son of man came not 
to be ministered' unto, but to minister, and 
to give his life a ransom for many. 



Authorized Version. 
the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism 
that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized : 

40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left 
hand is not mine to give ; but it shall be given to 
them for whom it is prepared. 

41 And when the ten heard it, they began to 
be much displeased with James and John. 

•12 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto 
them, Te know that they which are accounted 
to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over 
them ; and their great ones exercise authority 
upon them. 

43 But so shall it not be among you : but who- 
soever will be great among you, shall be your 
minister: 

44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, 
shall be servant of all. 

45 For even the Son of man came not to be 
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his 
life a ransom for many. > 

1 Or, servant 2 Gr. bond-sen-ant 

apostolic band (Acts xii, 2) ; John (1) was bereaved, of bis brother, then of 
the other apostles ; (2) he became an exile in sea-girt Patmos (Rev. i, 9), 
and (3) died last of the apostles. 

the cup] Comp. John xviii, 11, " The cup which my father hath given me, 
shall I not drink it ?" and Mark xiv, 36, " Take away this cup from me.'' 
Their thoughts were fastened on thrones 
and high places ; his on a cup of suffer- 
ing and a baptism of blood. For this 
use of the word " baptism " here, com- 
pare Luke xii, 50, " I have a baptism to 
be baptized with."' 

40. but it shall be given] " The 
throne,"' says Basil, "is the prize of drinking ctps. 

toils, not a grace granted to ambition ;" a reward of righteousness, not the 
concession of a reward."' On the phrase, " it is not mine to give,"' see R. V. 
Alexander, D. Brown, Wordsworth and Canon Cook omit the words in italics 
and render " is not mine to give except," or '' unless," " for whom it is pre- 
pared :" but this violates the general grammatical construction, as Alexan- 
der concedes. The R. V. is to be preferred. 

41. began to be much displeased] " hadden endignacioun." — Wyclif. 
" Humanity is in self-conflict ; the spirit is naturally competent to rein the 
animal into subjection, and yet it is often morally impotent to put on and pull 
up the curb." — Hickok. The sons of Zebedee had been in a better social 
position than most of their brethren, and this attempt to secure a preeminence 
of honor kindled a storm of jealousy, but it was soon allayed. 

42. which] commonly used at the time our translation was made for the 
relative " icho" and applied to persons. It is now obsolete in this sense, 
and it is to be regretted that the R. V. does not uniformly use tl who " in such 
cases, as the American revisers desired. 

are accounted] = those who are regarded and known to rule, those who 
have the reputation of being governors. 

exercise lordship] The word is applied in Acts xix, 16, to the man possessed 
with an evil spirit prevailing against and overcoming the seven sons of Sceva. 
The idea is that superiority in worldly governments can only be sustained 
by force. Peter, in his first Epistle (v ; 3), warns the elders of the church 
against "being lords over God's heritage." See also Matt, xx, 25. 

45. Yerily...to give his life] The American revisers prefer to read, " For 




124 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark X, 46. 



Authorized Version. 
46 And they came to Jericho: and as he 
went out of Jericho with his disciples and a 
great number of people, blind Bartimeus, the 
son of Timeus, sat by the highway side begging. 



Revised Version. 

46 And they come to Jericho : and as he went 

out from Jericho, with his disciples and a 

great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Barti- 

mseus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the 

the Son of man also," etc. It is an announcement that the Redeemer was 
about to give his life as a ransom for many (1 Tim. ii, 6). The word trans- 
lated "ransom" only occurs here, and in Matt, xx, 28. Wyclif renders it 
"and zyue his soule, or lyf redempcioun, or azen-biyng, for manye." The 
three great circles of images which the Scriptures employ when they repre- 
sent to us the purport of the death of Christ, are (a) a sin-offering, or propi- 
tiation^ John ii, 2 ; iv, 10) ; (6) reconciliation (= at- one-ment) with an of- 
fended friend (Rom. v, 11 ; xi, 15 ; 2 Cor. v. 18, 19) ; (c), as here, redemp- 
tion from slavery (Rom. iii, 24; Eph. i, 7; Col. i, 14). It here implies the 
great humility and condescension of Jesus. 

Practical Suggestions. — " The tallest trees are most in the power of the 
winds, and ambitious men of the blasts of fortune." — Penn. " Fling away 
ambition ; by that sin the angels fell ; how can man then, the image of his 
Maker, hope to win by it?" — Shakespeare. 

46—52. At Jericho. Blind Bartimeus, A. D. 30. 
46. And they came] either the evening of Thursday, Nisan 7, or the 
morning of Friday, Nisan 8, according to Farrar's conjecture. From Peraea 
they journeyed down to the sunken channel of the Jordan, and the luxuriant 
' ' district ' ' of Jericho. Where he crossed the Jordan can only be conjec- 
tured. It was probably at one of the well-known fords above Jericho. 

to Jericho] Jericho was the ancient stronghold of the Canaanites — taken 
by Joshua (ii, vi), founded for the second time under Hiel the Bethelite (1 
Kings xvi, 34), visited by Elisha and Elijah before the latter "went up by a 
whirlwind into heaven" (2 Kings ii, 4-15) — was still, in the days of Christ, 
surrounded by towers and castles. Two of them lay in ruins since the time 
of Pompeius, but " Kypros, the last fortress built by Herod the Great, who 

had called it after his mother, rose, white, 
in the sun, on the south of the town. Jeri- 
cho was on a plain about five miles west 
of the Jordan, and six miles north of the 
Dead Sea. Near the ancient city was 
" Elisha' s Fountain." The Jericho of 
Christ's day was southeast of the ancient 
city, while the modern town, Er-Riha, is 
two miles further east. The city, when 
Jesus visited it, had been rebuilt, and 
perhaps exceeded the ancient town in its 
splendor. It has semi-tropical verdure, 
as the plain is nine hundred feet below 
the Mediterranean. "The great palace 
of Herod," says Geikie, "in the far- 
famed groves of palms, had been plun- 
dered and burnt down in the tumults that 
followed his death, but in its place a still 
grander structure, built by Archelaus, had 
arisen amidst still finer gardens and more 
copious and delightful streams. A grand theatre and spacious circus, built 
by Herod, scandalized the Jews, while a great stone aqueduct of eleven arches 
brought a copious supply of water to the city, and the Roman military road 




ELISHA'S FOUNTAIN AT JERICHO. 



Mark ~K, 47-50.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MAIfK. 125 

Authorized Version. i Reused Version. 

47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of : 47 way side. And when he heard that it was 
Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and 
thou Son of David, have mercy on me. say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on 

48 And many charged him that he should hold 48 me. And many rebuked him, that he should 
his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, hold his peace: but he cried out the more a 
Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy 

49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him j 49 on me. And Jesus stood still, and said, Call 
to be called. And they call the blind man, say- | ye him. And they call the blind man, say- 
ing unto him, Be of good comfort, rise ; he call- ing unto him, Be of good cheer : rise, he 
eth thee. 50 calleth thee. And he, casting awav his gar- 

50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and 
came to Jesus. i 

ran through it." The modern town consists of a group of miserable hovels, 
inhabited by about sixty families. See SchafFs Diet, of Bible. 

as he went out] See Special Note.* (Comp. Luke xviii, 35 ; Matt, xx, 29, 
80.) 

a great number] of pilgrims from Peraea and Galilee, met at this central 
point to go up to the passover at Jerusalem. 

Bartimeus] The better reading seems to be, the son of Timosus, Barti- 
mams. See R. V. " This account of him hints that he was a personage well 
known to Christians in Mark's time as a monument of the Lord's miracle, as 
was probably also Simon the leper ; and the designation ' son of Timaeus ' 
would distinguish him, not merely from the father, but also from other 
sons." — Lange. "All the roads leading to Jerusalem, like the temple it- 
self, were much frequented at the time of the feasts, by beggars, who reaped 
a special harvest from the charity of the pilgrims." 

47. Son of David] This was the Jewish designation of the Messiah. His 
application of it to Jesus may be an indication of his faith. Perhaps he had 
heard of the recent resurrection of Lazarus, at Bethany, not far away. 

48. charged him] " thretnyden hym that he schulde be stille." — Wyclif. 
They rebuked him and his companions, deeming their clamors ill-mannered 
towards a prophet, such as they held Jesus to be. 

49. good comfort] given by Mark only, as the cheering words of bystand- 
ers, followed by the earnest act of the man, casting away (or aside) his gar- 
ment (or outer mantle) and " leaping up " in his joy over the hope of having 
his sight restored. 

50. casting away his garment] i.e. his abba, or upper garment. 

* Special Note on the healing of the blind men at Jericho. — Harmonists find a difficulty in reconciling 
the gospel narratives of this healing. Compare Luke xviii, 35-43; Matt, xx, 29-34, and see K. V. 
Matthew mentions two blind men healed ; Mark and Luke refer to only one; Matthew and Mark 
state that healing took place when Jesus left Jericho; Luke, as "Jesus drew nigh to the city." 
The difference as to the number healed is easily explained: Matthew speaks of two ; Mark and 
Luke notice only one, probably the better known or more important case of the two. If there 
were two, there must have been one, and silence is no contradiction. The chief difficulty is on 
the other point, as to the time or place of healing: Several explanations have been proposed: (1) 
There were two Jerichos, an old and a new city; Jesus may have been leaving one and approaching 
the other, where the healing was performed, and so both statements be accurate ; so McKnight; 
but this is weak. (2) That there were three or more blind men healed, one named by Luke (Luke 
xviii, 35), and two by the others (Matt, xx, 29); so Augustine, Kitto, Davidson; (3) Lightfoot, 
Teschendorf, Wiesler, Neander, Ebrard, and Greswell suppose that two distinct miracles were per- 
formed, and that Matthew blends both events in his account. This seems to remove one difficulty 
by making another ; (4) Robinson, Owen, Grotius, and others, propose to render the Greek verb "to 
be nigh" or "near," instead of "come nigh"; hence,Luke would state that the healing was performed 
while Jesus was still near the city, and so harmonize with the idea given by Matthew and Mark ; (5) 
Many most reliable writers, as Calvin, Bengel, Stier, Trench, Ellicott, Lange, and John Hall con- 
clude that one blind man cried to him as he drew near to the city, and whom he cured not then 
but on the morrow, at his going out of the city, together with the other, to whom he had in the 
meanwhile joined himself. On this theory Luke notes the first appeal, and relates the healin°- by 
anticipation. The first three explanations are the least satisfactory. But where there are so 
many reasonable solutions, the apparent discrepancy is not important. 



126 



PEOPLE S COMMENTARY 



[MabkX,51-XI I 



Revised Version. 

51 ment, sprang up, and came to Jesus. And 
Jesus answered him, and said, What wilt 
thou that I should do unto thee? And the 
blind man said unto him, x Rabboni, that I 

52 may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto 
him, Go thy way; thy faith hath 2 made thee 
whole. And straightway he received his 
sight, and followed him in the way. 

11 And when they draw nigh unto Jerusalem, 
unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount 



Authorized Version. 

51 And Jesus answered, and said unto him, 
What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? 
The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might 
receive my sight. 

52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way : thy 
faith hath made thee whole. And immediately 
he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the 
way. 

CHAP. XI. — And when they came nigh to 
Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, 

1 See John xx, 16 2 Or, saved thee 

51. Lord] = my Master. The blind man gives him the title of greatest rever- 
ence that he knew. The same form is used by Mary Magdalene to her risen 
Lord, John xx, 16. There were gradations of honor in the title, Rab = mas- 
ter was a title of respect, Rabbi = my master, of greater honor, and Rabbon or 
Rabboni = my great master, was the most honorable title of the three. Rabbi 
is simply the word for teacher, with the suffix meaning ' ' my. ' ' 

52. and followed Jesus'] or u him " R. V: , along the road, glorifying 
God as Luke adds (xviii, 43) and joining the festal company of his 
healer, and thus he obeyed the command ' ' Gro thy way, ' ' for it was going 
his way now, to follow Christ. Plumptre notices that in the apocryphal 
gospel of Nicodemus, Bartimeus appears as one of the witnesses for the 
defence of Jesus. After this the Lord accepted the hospitality of Zac- 
cheus, a superintendent of customs or tribute at Jericho (Luke xix, 1 — 10) ; 
uttered the parable of ' ' the pounds ' ' in order to correct the idea that the king- 
dom of heaven was about to appear immediately (Luke xix, 11 — 27) ; and at 
length, six days before the passover, reached the mountain hamlet of Bethany 
(John xii, 1). 

Practical Lessons. — " Here is the history of many a soul. When a man 
is in earnest about his salvation, and begins to cry that his eyes may be 
opened * * * he will find infinite hindrances ; and these not from professed 
enemies of the gospel, but from such as seem, like this multitude, to be on 
Jesus' side. Even they will try to stop his mouth." — Trench. 

Ch. XI. 1—11. The Triumphal Entry. 

(Sunday, day following Jewish Sabbath, 10th Nisan, 783, April 2d, a.d. 30.) 

1. And when] The triumphal entry took place on Sunday the 10th of 
Nisan, according to the best authorities, though Robinson places it on Monday 
following. Readers will bear in mind that the Jewish mode of reckoning 
time differed from ours ; their sabbath was on Saturday, and as their day was 
counted from sunset to sunset, their sabbath would begin on our Friday after 
sunset and end on Saturday at sunset. Our Sunday was their first day of the 
week, and therefore to them a secular day. The order of events 1 were : (1) 
The Saviour apparently reached Bethany on the evening of Friday, Nisan 8. 
There (2) in quiet retirement he spent the sabbath before his crucifixion ; and 
(3) in the evening (the Jewish sabbath ending at sunset), he sat down to a 
festal meal, attended by the sisters of Lazarus at the house of Simon, a leper 
(Matt, xxvi, 6) ; John xii, 1). (4) At this feast he was anointed by Mary 
(John xii, 3) ; and (5) during the night a council of the Jews consulted how 
to put, not him only, but Lazarus also to death (John xii, 10). 

they came] See R. V. Mark passes by the events at Simon's house to relate 
the entry into Jerusalem From this triumphal entry made after the Jewish 
sabbath, and on the first day of the week, the day is celebrated as "Palm 
Sunday" by some churches. The narrative is written in the present tense. 

unto Bethphage] On the first day of the week the Saviour left Bethany and 







127 



128 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Maek XI, 2-4. 



Revised Version. 
of Olives, he sendeth two of his disciples, and 

2 saith unto them, Go your way into the vil- 
lage that is over against you : and straight- 
way as ye enter into it, ye shall find a colt 
tied, whereon no man ever yet sat; loose 

3 him, and hring him. And if any one say 
unto you, Why do ye this? say ye, The Lord 
hath need of him; and straightway he 1 will 

4 send him 2 back hither. And they went 
away, and found a colt tied at the door with- 
out in the open street; and they loose him. 



Authorized Version. 
at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of 
his disciples, 

2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the 
village over against you : and as soon as ye be 
entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon 
never man sat ; loose him, and bring him. 

3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye 
this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him ; 
and straightway he will send him hither. 

4 And they went their way, and found the 
colt tied by the door without in a place where 
two ways met ; and they loose him. 

1 Gr. sendeth. 2 Or, again 

proceeded toward Bethphage = the house of unripe Jigs, a little hamlet on the 
road between Jericho and Jerusalem. Some authorities omit Bethphage. 

two of his disciples'] Three Evangelists state the sending of " two disci- 
ples," but neither give the names of the two. Some conjecture that they 
were Peter and John, but this is only a guess. 

2. into the village over against you] either Bethphage or an adjoining 
hamlet. 

a colt tied] ll In the East the ass is in high esteem. Statelier, livelier, 
swifter than with us, it vies with the horse in favor. Among the Jews it was 
equally valued as a beast of burden, for work in the field or at the mill, and 
for riding. In contrast to the horse, which had been introduced by Solomon 
from Egypt, and was used especially for war, it was the symbol of peace. To 
the Jew it was peculiarly national, for had not Moses led his wife, seated on 
an ass, to Egypt ? Had not the judges ridden on white asses, and was not 
the ass of Abraham, the friend of God, noted in Scripture ? Every Jew, 
moreover, expected, from the words of one of the prophets (Zech. ix, 9), that 
the Messiah would enter Jerusalem riding on an ass. No act could be more 
perfectly in keeping with the conception of a king of Israel, and no word 
could express more plainly that the king proclaimed himself the Messiah." — 
Geikie. Still, whether it was a mark of regal authority or of humiliation, is a 
question on which able writers widely differ. Tertullian (as cited by Gerhard) 
says the Gentiles, in ridicule, called Christians " asinarii," because they 
believed in Christ, who rode on an ass, and they even falsely charged his fol- 
lowers with worshiping an ass's head! 

whereon never man sat] this agrees with Matthew's account of the she-ass 
(Matt, xxi, 2) and her colt with her. The colt would not have been used, so 
long as it was running with the mother. Animals that never yet had worked 
were put to sacred purposes. See Num. xix, 2 ; Deut. xxi, 3 ; 1 Sam. vi, 7. 

3. the Lord hath need of him] Some suppose that the man may have 
been a secret disciple. "Secret disciples, such as the five hundred who 
afterwards gathered to one spot in Galilee, and the hundred and twenty who 
met after the resurrection (1 Cor. xv, 6 ; Acts i, 15), were scattered in many 
places." The reading of the R. V., u will send him back hither," or " send 
him hither again," is regarded as a promise " to return the colt soon." 

4> in a place where two ways met] Wyclif, ' ' in the meeting of tweye 
weyes," following the Vulgate bivium. The word in the original denotes (1) 
any road that leads around a place, a street or a crooked lane ; (2) around a 
block of houses ; (3) the quarter of a town = Lat. vicus. Here it means either 
the passage round the house, as Wordsworth understands, or a 
lane or way around a block of houses, as Alford and Trench sug- 
gest. They went and found the ass tied at the door (outside, not 
inside, the court-yard), and the colt with her, not in the highway, 
but in a back way or alley, which went round the house, and at the place 



ENVIRONS 
JERUSALEM 




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130 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



fMARK XI, 5-9. 



Authorized Version. 

5 And certain of them that stood there said 
unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? 

6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had 
commanded: and they let them go. 

7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast 
their garments on him; and he sat upon him. 

8 And many spread their garments in the way : 
and others cut down branches off the trees, and 
strewed them in the way. 

9 And they that went before, and they that 

1 Gr. layers of leaves. 



Revised Version. 

5 And certain of them that stood there said ur 

6 to them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And 
they said unto themevenas Jesus had said: 

7 and they let them go. And they bring the colt 
unto Jesus, and cast on him their garments; 

8 and he sat upon him. And many spread 
their garments upon the way; and others 
1 branches, which they had cut from the 

9 fields. And they that went before, and they 



where two roads met. The disciples were instructed what to answer, if ques- 
tioned. All these points of the minute detail indicate that the account is from 
an eye-witness. The colt, untamed and tied at the back gate, as if ready for 
a rider, has been interpreted as a symbol of the Gentile world to be brought 
to Christ from the lanes and alleys of heathendom (Luke xiv, 21); the she- 
ass as symbolizing Grod's ancient people, who were familiar with the yoke of 
the law ; but this is straining the simplicity of the narrative. 

5. What do ye] This question was probably asked by the owners of the 
colt. The reply was in the words Jesus had foretold, and permission was 
granted. 

7. and cast their garments on him] (Matt, xxi, 7), to do him regal honor, 
just as the captains ' ' took every man his garment, and put it under Jehu 
on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king " (2 
Kings ix, 13). 

he sat upon] the unused colt 5 perhaps one of the apostles led it by the 
bridle, as some suppose. 

8. spread their garments'] i. e., their " abbas" or "hykes," the 
loose blanket or cloak worn over the tunic or shirt. So myrtle -twigs and 
robes had been strewn by their ancestors before Mordecai (Targ. Esther viii, 
15), so the Persian army had honored Xerxes when about to cross the Helles- 
pont (Herod, vii, 54), and so Robinson says the inhabitants of Bethlehem 
threw their garments under the feet of the horses of the English consul at 
Damascus, whose aid they were imploring. 

branches] not cut from the trees as they went along, as were the 
"branches " mentioned in Matt, xxi, 8, but mattings (stoibades) which they 
twisted out of the palm-branches as they passed. The original word denotes 
(1) abed of straw, rushes or leaves; (2) a mattress, especially of soldiers; 
(3) the nest or lair of mice or fish. 

off the trees] The reading of most ancient MSS. here is from the fields, 
see R.V., and the verse maybe rendered: And many strewed their garments 
in the way, and others twisted branches, cutting them from gardens or fields. 
Eastern gardens are not flower gardens, but the orchards, vineyards and fig- 
enclosures round a town. The three separate roads from Bethany to Jerusa- 
lem passed by plantations of palm trees, and fruit and olive gardens. The 
best authorities omit, ' ' and strewed them in the way. ' ' From Bethany to 
Jerusalem there are three roads leading over Olivet. It is generally supposed 
that Jesus made his triumphal entry by the middle road, but the southern one 
is usually taken by horsemen and caravans. 

9. they that went before] From John xii, 12 it appears that a second 
stream of people issuing from the holy city came forth to meet the Saviour, 
and these joining the others coming from Bethany, turned round and swelled 
the long procession towards Jerusalem ; compare Stanley's account in Sinai 
and Palestine. 



Mask XI, 10, 11.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 131 



Authorized Yersiok. 
followed, cried, saying, Hosanna: Blessed is he 
that cometh in the name of the Lord: 
10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, 



Revised Teesiox. 
that followed, cried, Hosanna ; Blessed is he 
10 that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed 
is the kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of 



that cometh in the name of the Lord : Hosanna our father David : Hosanna in the highest. 
in the highest. 11 And he entered into Jerusalem, into the 

11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into temple ; and when he had looked round 

the temple : and when he had looked round about upon all things, it being now eventide, 

about upon all things, and now the eventide was he went out unto Bethany with the twelve, 
come, he went out unto Bethany with the 
twelve. 

Hosanna] a Greek corruption of a Hebrew phrase used when persons ap- 
plied to the king for help : it means ' ' save now. ; ' This cry was not confined 
to children, as some infer. 

10. Blessed be the kingdom] The shout of blessing for the kingdom and 
the coming king. See Ps. cxviii. 26 : " What strange mingling of truth and 
error in the thoughts and hopes of the multitude that day ! And the error 
was the more fatal because combined with the truth." — Schaff. "In the 
name of the Lord" is omitted in the best authorites. 

11. And Jesus entered] At one point in the road the magnificent city 
burst into view. Then the procession may have paused, and our Lord wept 
over it (Luke xix, 41 — 44), and afterwards crossing the bridge over the Ke- 
dron, he passed through the gate, now St. Stephen's, into Bezetha, the new 
town, through narrow streets, ''hung with flags and banners for the feast, and 
crowded on the raised sides, and on every roof, and at every window, with 
eager faces."' 

the temple] Jerusalem was crowded and stirred to to its very centre (Matt, 
xxi, 10). Who is this? His disciples answer: u the prophet of Nazareth 
of Galilee.'' 1 They doubtless expected that he would, as he passed on to- 
wards the temple, display some unmistakeable "sign," and claim the sceptre, 
and ascend the throne of David. How sorely they were disappointed ! 

when he had looked round about upon all things] '* The actual procession 
would not proceed further than the foot of Mount Moriah. beyond which they 
might not advance in travelling array, or with dusty feet.'" Before they 
reached the Shushan gate they dispersed, and Jesus entered the courts of the 
temple, examined the disorder and desecration still practiced, notwithstand- 
ing his former rebuke and cleansing. Some bring this visit on the 10th of 
Nisan, into connection with the selection of the paschal lamb, which was made 
on that day. Jesus was the true paschal lamb, giving a mystical significance 
to the fact. There is no discrepancy with Matthew or Luke here, as Meyer 
supposes; they connect the cleansing of the temple with the import of" the 
entry, while Mark does not. 

the eventide teas come] or "it being now eventide " as in R.V. ; an indefin- 
ite expression, including two or three hours 'before as well as after sunset. 
During it he returned to Bethany with the twelve. 

Practical Suggestions. — "The Prince of Peace did not take a horse, 
a warlike animal: but he will ride on that by and by. Rev. xix, 11 ... 
Was it a mean attitude wherein our Lord then appeared ? Mean even to 
contempt ? I grant it ; I glory in it ; "it 'is for the comfort of my soul, for the 
honor of his humility, and for the utter confusion of all worldly pomp and 
grandeur." — Wesley. "When Christians wake up, the people rejoice ; while 
Christians slumber, the people will continue in the road to death. It is 
delightful to see people willing in the day of God's power. ... Not your 
garments he wants, but your hearts ; not your willingness to rejoice in 
his light, but your fixed immovable purpose to be his forever." — W. G. 
Schauffler. 



132 



people's commentary 



[Mark XI, 12-14. 



Revised Version. 



12 And on the morrow, when they were come 
I'd out from Bethany, he hungered. And seeing 
a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if 
haply he might find anything thereon: and 
when he came to it, he found nothing but 
14 leaves; for it was not the season of figs. And 
he answered and said unto it, No man eat 




Authorized Version. 

12 And on the morrow, when they were 
come from Bethany, he was hungry : 

13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, 
he came, if haply he might find anything there- 
on: and when he came to it, he found nothing 
but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 

14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No 

12 — 26. The Fig Tree and the Cleansing of the Temple, A. D. 30. 

(Monday, 11th Nisan, April 3d, A.D. 30.) 
12. he was hungry] either after a night of fasting, or from rising very- 
early and starting before the morning meal, he was hungry; shewing his 
humanity, as usual, when about to give a proof of his deity, that we may 
believe him to be both God and man." — Bp. Wordsworth. 

13. seeing a Jig tree] This was 
Monday, 11th Nisan, April 1st and 
2d. The very name Bethany 
means "the place for dates" 
while Bethphage, according to 
some, means " the place for the 
green or winter fig. ' ' 

having leaves] It stood alone, 
a single fig-tree, by the wayside 
(Matt, xxi, 19), having leaves was 
an indication of fruit, for the fig- 
tree puts forth its fruit first, and 
then its leaves, only when the 
fruit is about perfected. 
if haply] or if therefore, if as 
was reasonable to expect under such circumstances, fruit was to be found. 
" Why should he who knows all, come if haply he might find (fruit) thereon " 
where there was none? It is not said he expected fruit; but he moved 
towards the tree as if fruit might be expected. The leaves were fitted to 
raise this expectation. He did this for the disciples' sake, exactly as in Luke 
xxiv, 28, "he made as though he would have gone further," not intending 
to go further, but to be constrained. He meant here to teach truth to the 
disciples, not to deceive (which is the essence of a lie), just as he did in his 
parables, where the form is fancy, but the substance is truth." — John Hall, 
in Sunday School World. 

for the time of Jigs was not yet] that is the fig-season proper had not 
yet arrived. The rich verdure of this tree seemed to show that it was fruitful, 
and there was, as Farrar says, " every probability of finding upon it either 
the late violet-colored autumn figs, which often hung upon the trees all 
through the winter, and even until the new spring leaves had come, or the 
first- ripe figs (Isa. xxviii, 4; Jer. xxiv, 2; Hos. ix, 10 ; Nah. iii, 12), of which 
Orientals are particularly fond." But Prof. Post, of Beirut, advises me that fig- 
trees there have fruit formed as early as February, and which is fully ripe in 
April, about the time of the year when Jesus sought fruit on this tree near 
Jerusalem. This effectually disposes of the objections to this narrative, on the 
ground that figs could not be expected at this time of the year. The explana- 
tion proposed by Van Lennep and Heer are inconsistent with Mark's ac- 
count, and are not required by what is now known of the growth of figs in 
Palestine. Yet this tree had nothing but leaves. It was the type of a fair 
profession without performance ; a parable of the nation, which, with all its 
professions, brought forth no "fruit to perfection." Gomp. Luke xix, 42. 
14. No man eat fruit] "And presently, i.e. immediately," writes Mat- 



EASTERN FIGS. 



Makk XI, 15-17.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OP MAPK. 



133 



Authorized Version. 



And 



man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. 
his disciples heard it. 

15 And they come to Jerusalem : and Jesus 
went into the temple, and began to cast out them 
that sold and bought in the temple, and over- 
threw the tables of the money changers, and the 
6eats of them that sold doves ; 

16 And would not suffer that any man should 
carry any vessel through the temple. 

17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not 
written, My house shall be called of all nations 
the house of prayer ? but ye have made it a den 
of thieves. 



Revised Version. 



Antf 



fruit from thee henceforward forever, 
his disciples heard it. ' 

15 And they come to Jerusalem : and he en- 
tered into the temple, and began to cast out 
them that sold and themJ:hat bought in the 
temple, and overthrew the tables of the 
money-changers, and the seats of them that 

16 sold the doves; and he Avould not suffer that 
any man should carry a vessel through the 

17 temple. And he taught and said unto them, 
Is it not written, My house shall be called a 
house of prayer for all the nations? but ye 



thew (xxi, 19), " the fig tree withered away," though the disciples did not 
notice it till the following morning. Thus our Lord exhibited at once a para- 
ble and a prophecy in action. This is the only miracle of judgment (or de- 
struction) of Jesus on record ; for the destruction of the swine was no miracle, 
but an incident following a miracle of mercy — the miracles of mercy were all 
in relief of suffering humanity ; this one of judgment was upon a tree, to teach 
man a useful and important moral lesson. 

15. and Jesus went into the temple] this was his second cleansing of 
the temple. The nefarious scene, which he had sternly rebuked at his first 
Passover, as noted by John (ii, 13 — 17), was still being enacted. 

them that sold and bought] For the convenience of Jews and proselytes 
residing at a distance, a kind of market had been established in the outer 
court, and here sacrificial victims, incense, oil, wine and other things neces- 
sary for the service and sacrifices, were to be obtained. Jerome, regarding 
this cleansing of the temple as the most wonderful of miracles, supposes that 
a flame or starry ray darted from the eyes of the Saviour, but this is unwar- 
ranted by the narrative and unnecessary. The guilty feelings of the traders 
would make them cowards before an intrepid and wonderful rabbi, such as 
Jesus was held to be by the multitude. 

the tables of the money changers'] Money would be required (1) to pur- 
chase materials for offerings, (2) to pre- 
sent as free offerings to the temple treas- 
ury (Mark xii, 41 ; Luke xxi, 1), (3) to 
pay the yearly temple tax of half a she- 
kel due from every Jew, however poor. 
All this must be paid in native coin 
called the temple shekel. Strangers, 
therefore, had to change their Roman, 
Greek, or Eastern, money into the coin 
required. a ™~™" 

that sold doves[ For the use of doves see Lev. xii, 6, 8 ; Luke ii, 24. The' 
sale of doves appears to have been, in a great measure, in the hands of the 
priests themselves, and one of the high-priests especially is said to have gained 
great profits from his dovecots on Mount Olivet. 

16. any vessel] i. e., a pail or basket. Ellicott suggests that men were 
using the temple as a short cut from one part of the city to another. He 
would not allow laden porters and others to desecrate the honor due to his 
father's house by crossing the temple courts as though they were public 
streets. 

17. of all nations] The words are cited from Isaiah lvi, 7. 

a den of thieves] Literally, a cave or den of robbers or bandits. See Jer. 
vii, 11. The distinction is to be borne in mind between " the roboer," bri- 
gand or violent spoiler (Matt, xxi, 13 ; xxvi, 55 ; Luke xxii, 52 ; John xviii, 




134 



people's commentary 



[Mark XI, 18-28. 



Authorized Version. 

18 And the scribes and chief priests heara it, 
and sought how they might destroy him : for 
they feared him, because all the people was 
astonished at his doctrine. 

19 And when even was come, he went out of 
the city. 

20 And in the morning, as they passed by, 
they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 

21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith 
unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which 
thou cursedst is withered away. 

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have 
faith in God. 

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever 
shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, 



Revised Version. 

18 have made it a den of robbers. And the chief 
priests, and the scribes heard it, and sought 
how they might destroy him : for they feared 
him, for all the multitude was astonished at 
his teaching. 

19 And 1 every evening 2 he went forth out 
of the city. 

20 And as they passed by in the morning, they 
saw the fig tree withered away from the 

21 roots. And Peter calling to remembrance 
saith unto him, Rabbi, behold, the fig tree 

22 which thou cursedst is withered away. And 
Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith 

23 in God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever 
shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken 



1 Gr. whenever evening came. 2 Some ancient authorities read they. 

40 ; 2 Cor. xi, 26 ; and the " thief" or secret purloiner (Matt, vi, 19 ; John 
xii, 6; 1 Thess. v, 2; Rev. iii, 3; xvi, 15). — Trench. What our Lord al- 
ludes to is one of "those foul caves which he had so often seen, where 
brigands wrangled over their ill-gotten gains." — Farrar. This cleansing was 
intended to point out to the Jews the corrupt and decayed character of their 
temple service, and that its fall, with that of the theocracy, had begun ; that 
a spiritual reform was now at hand. 

18. chief priests] This title was applied (1) to the high-priest properly so- 
called ; (2) to all who had held the high-priesthood (the office under Roman 
sway no longer lasting for life, and becoming little more than annual) ; (3) 
the heads of the twenty -four courses (1 Chron. xxiv ; Luke i, 9). 

was astonished at his doctrine'] Mark omits the healing of the lame man, 
and the children crying hosanna, as mentioned by Matthew, and which would 
tend to increase the fear of the officers and the astonishment of the people. 
Caution was therefore, essential. 

19. he went out] or, they went out, of the city, as some MSS. read, and 
crossing Olivet, sought once more the retirement of Bethany. 

20. And in the morning] the early morning of Tuesday, 12th Nisan, 
783, or April 4th, A. D. 30. 

as they passed by] on their return to the city. 

dried up from the roots] in the original the word rendered ' ' dried up ' ' 
is the same as that rendered " withered away " in v. 21 of the A. V. From 
Matthew (xxi, 19) it would appear that " some beginnings of the threatened 
withering began to shew themselves, almost as soon as the word of the Lord 
was spoken ; a shuddering feannay have run through all the leaves of the 
tree, which was thus stricken at its heart." — Trench. 

21. And Peter] who, as some suppose, may have related the incident, 
with all its attendant circumstances, to Mark. 

22. Rave faith in God] as the personal source of miraculous power 
(Comp Matt, xvii, 20; Luke xvii, 6). "Faith is not sense, nor sight, nor 
reason, but a-taking God at his word." — Evans. " Faith makes invisible 
things visible, absent things present, things that are very far off to be very 
near the soul." — Brooks. Dr. D wight defined faith as trust or confidence. 
A. Alexander says, " Faith is simply a belief of the truth, apprehended 
under the illumination of the Holy Spirit." 

23. verily I say unto you] Jesus, by these words, would impress upon 
them that an unfaltering faith in God would overcome all difficulties, a truth 
they would be likely to recall when they began the work of spreading the 
gospel. 

shall say unto this mountain] Language like this was familiar in the schools 



Mabk XI, 24-26 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



135 



Authorized Version. 
^nd be thou cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt 
in his heart, but shall believe that those things 
which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have 
whatsoever he saith. 

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things so- 
ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye 
receive them, and ye shall have them. 

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye 
have aught against any : that your Father also 
which is in heaven may forgive you your tres- 



26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your 
Father which is in heaven forgive your tres- 



Revised Version. 
up and cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt 
in his heart, but shall believe that what he 

24 saith cometh to pass ; he shall have it. There- 
fore I say unto you, All things whatsoever 
ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have re- 

25 ceived them, and ye shall have them. And 
whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye 
have aught against any one ; that your Father 
also which is in heaven may forgive you 
your trespasses. 1 



do not forgive, neither will your Father which is 



1 Many ancient authorities add ver. 26 But if 
in heaven forgive your trespasses. 

of the Jews. They used to set out those teachers among them, that were 
more eminent for the profoundness of their learning or' the splendor of their 
virtues, by such expressions as these : " He is a rooter up or remover of 
mountains." "They called Rabbah Bar Nachmani, a rooter up of moun- 
tains, because he had a piercing judgment." — Lightfoot. 

shall not doubt in his heart] The word here translated "doubt" means 
(1) to discriminate, distinguish, discern, as Matt, xvi, 3 ; Acts xv, 9 ; 1 Cor. 
xi, 29 ; (2) in the passive and middle voice, to get a decision, go to law, to 
dispute, as Acts xi, 2 ; James ii, 4. Poole observes : " It is not possible to 
pray with full persuasion that we shall receive, without being first satisfied 
that what we ask is according to the will of God. This we cannot know with- 
out a divine revelation." 

24. What things soever ye desire when ye pray] " It is obvious that, as a 
rule, such words imply prayer for spiritual rather than temporal blessings." 
— Ellicott. Because prayer is the very language of faith, he passes on to 
speak concerning prayer. For ' ' have received ' ' the American revisers read 
"receive," with marginal reading "received." 

25. when ye stand praying] The posture of prayer among the Jews seems 
to have been most often standing ; comp. the instance of Hannah (1 Sam. i, 
26), and of the Pharisee (Luke xviii, 11). When the prayer was offered with 
especial solemnity and humiliation, this was naturally expressed by (a) kneel- 
ing ; comp. the instance of Solomon (1 Kings viii, 54), and Daniel (vi, 10) ; 
or (6) prostration, as Joshua (vii, 6), and Elijah (IKings xviii, 42). 

forgive] Faith in God would lead to godlikeness, one of the characteristics of 
it being forgiveness. We are not to forgive to merit forgiveness, but as a 
condition of receiving it. The ground of our forgiveness is in Christ's sacri- 
fice for us ; the condition required in us is the spirit which will forgive others ; 
so we may receive forgiveness. 

26. your trespasses] The original word thus translated denotes (1) a fall- 
ing beside, a falling from the right way. This verse is not found in some of 
the best authorities. MSS. A. C. D. and Alford and Lachmann retain it in 
the text. The authorities do not seem to be strong enough against it to war- 
rant its rejection, though the R. V. places it in the margin. 

Practical Lessons. — Fruitless; "so men and women join the church, 
promise to be faithful in every good word or work. When they are selfish, 
false, proud, greedy of gain or applause ; when they cheat or deceive or lie in 
any way , when they are purse-proud or mean ; when they shirk the burdens 
they ought to share ; when they are fair outside and vile and hollow within ; 
when they are smooth to the world and a torment at home, they have their 
symbol in this tree, "nothing but leaves !" — John Hall, in S. S. W. " No 



136 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark XI, 27-32. 



Revised Version. 

27 And they come again to Jerusalem : and 
as he was walking in the temple, there come 
to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and 

28 the elders ; and they said unto him, By what 
authority doest thou these things? or who 
gave thee this authority to do these things? 

29 And Jesus said unto them, I will ask of you 
one x question, and answer me, and I will 
tell you by what authority I do these things. 

30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or 

31 from men ? answer me. And they reasoned 
with themselves, saying, If we shall say, 
From heaven ; he will say, Why then did ye 

32 not believe him? 2 But should we say, From 
men— they feared the people : 3 for all verily 



Authorized Version. 

27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and 
rs he was walking in the temple, there come to 
him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the 
elders, 

28 And say unto him, By what authority doest 
thou these things ? and who gave thee this au- 
thority to do these things? 

29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I 
will also ask of you one question, and answer 
me, and I will tell you by what authority I do 
these things. 

30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, 
or of men? answer me. 

31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, 
If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why 
then did ye not believe him? 

32 But if we shall say, Of men ; they feared 
the people : for all men counted John, that he 
was a prophet indeed. 

1 Gr. word. 2 Or, But shall we say, From men ? 3 Or, for all held John to be a prophet indeed. 

physical barrier can resist the power of a divinely grounded and inspired 
faith. Mountains of sin, mountains of opposition, mountains of distress and 
misfortune, have often been removed by faith." — Vincent. What multitudes 
carry their business, their toils, their plans, their accounts, the implements of 
worldly toil, in thought into the sanctuary now, and, with all these distrac- 
tions, attempt to worship God ! 

27-33. Question Respecting John the Baptist. 

27. as he was walking'] (Tuesday, 12th Nisan). This is in keeping 
with Mark's vivid style of delineation. Again the scribes assail Christ's 
work. 

elders'] "eldere men." — Wyclif. The ancient representatives of the peo- 
ple. Elders acted in concert as a political body in the time of the Exodus 
(Ex. xix, 7 ; Deut. xxxi, 9). They exercised authority under (a) the judges 
(Judg. ii, 7 : 1 Sam. iv, 3) ; under (6) the kings (1 Sam. xxx, 26 ; 1 Chron. 
xxi, 16 ; 2 Sam. xvii, 4) ; during (c) the captivity (Jer. xxix, 1 ; Ezek. viii, 
1) ; (d) after the return (Ezra v, 5 ; vi, 7, 14 ; x, 8, 14) ; under (e) the Mac- 
cabees (1 Mace, xii, 6 ; 2 Mace, i, 10) ; (/) in the time of our Lord they were 
apparently ex-officio members of a local Sanhedrin, with other members. This 
is by no means certain, however, though some hold that they formed a dis- 
tinct portion of the Sanhedrin by election. 

28. By what authority doest thou these things ?] From the reading of the 
R. V. two questions were asked: (1) Had he an inherent and general au- 
thority? or (2) did he claim some special authority? An answer to either 
might lay him open to a charge and trial, in which they could condemn him. 

29. And Jesus answered] he answered their question by another, and so 
avoided the trap. lt Before men we stand as opaque beehives. They can see 
the thoughts go in and out of us, but what work they do inside of a man, they 
cannot tell. Before God we are as glass beehives, and all that our thoughts 
are doing within us he perfectly sees and understands." — Beecher. 

30. The baptism of John] The baptism evidently included his ministry 
also. John had distinctly testified to the Messianic authority of our Lord 
(John i, 29-34, 36) ; from whom did he receive his commission to baptize and 
to teach ? Was it from heaven or a mere assumption of his own ? 

32. if we shall say, Of men] Observe the impressive hiatus (see R. V.), 
which is more significant than the full expression of Matthew (xxi, 26) and 
Luke (xx, 6). They dared not face the alternative, and were driven to a 
weak and evasive reply. 



Mask XI, 33-Xn, 1.] 



Otf THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



137 



Revised Version. 

33 held John to be a prophet. And they an- 
swered Jesus and say, We know not. And 
Jesus saith unto them, Neither tell I you by 
what authority I do these things. 

12 And he began to speak unto them in para- 
bles. A man planted a vineyard, and set a 
hedge about it, and digged a pit for the wine- 



AUTHOKIZED VfRSTOX. 

33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, 
"We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith un- 
to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority 
I do these things. 

CHAP. XII.— And he began to speak unto 
them by parables. A certain man planted 
a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged 
a place for the winefat, aad built a tower, and 

33. Neither do I tell you] The counter-question of Jesus was the conse- 
quence of the question of these men. "Him that inquires we are bound to 
instruct, but him that tempts we may defeat with a stroke of reasoning. ' ' 

Practical Suggestions. — " LetusJearn that every one should do his own 
duty or else yield up his place to another. Let us not be like the dog in the 
manger, who would neither eat the >hay*himself nor allow the ox to eat it." 
— Brentius. "The history of the church of Christ contains only too much of 
the dog in the manger. Ministers and teachers have often neglected the 
souls of their people shamefully, yet found fault with any who has tried to do 
good, and haughtily demanded his authority." — Ryle. Aug. Quesnel, a 
Roman Catholic writer, says: "There are no persons more forward to de- 
mand of others a reason for their actions than those who think they may do 
everything themselves without control." 

Ch. XII. 1 — 12. The Wicked Husbandmen. 

(The discourses and events in this chapter are assigned to Tuesday, 12th 
Nisan, 783, April 4th, A. D., 30.) 

1. by parables'] He spoke three parables, (1) the two sons Matt, xxi, 28 — 
32 ; (2) the husbandmen ; (3) the marriage of the king's son, Matt, xxii, 1 — 14. 
Mark relates only the second of these three parables. The began implies an 
interruption since a former series of parables. This mode of teaching is 
now again resumed, and another series of parables is spoken. 

A certain man planted a vineyard] This parable resembles the thought of 
the prophet Isaiah (v, 1 — 7). Comp. Deut. xxxii, 32 ; Ps. lxxx, 8 — 16 ; 
Ezek. xv, 1 — 6; Hos. x, 1. Dy the vineyard we understand the king- 
dom of God as successfully realised (1) by the Jew, and (2) by the 
Gentile. See Trench. In the parable of the two sons, Jesus had shown how 
he was received by the publicans, and rejected by the rulers ; in this of the 
husbandmen, he shows how he is to be rejected by God's chosen people Israel, 
and put to death. (See illustration of Vineyard, p. 129). 

planted] The householder possessed and '"''planted' 1 ' 1 the vineyard. So God 
planted his spiritual vineyard under Moses (Deut. xxxii, 12 — 14 ; Ex. xv. 
17), and Joshua in the land of Canaan. 

a hedge about it] not a hedge of thorns, but a stone wall to keep out wild 
boars (Ps. lxxx, 13), jackals and foxes (Num. xxii. 24 ; Cant, ii, 15; Neh. iv, 
3). The word occurs (1) here, (2) in the parallel Matt. xxi, 33, (3) in Luke xiv, 
23 > " go ye into the highways and hedges" and (4) Eph. ii, 14 ; "the middle 
wall of partition." "Enclosures of loose stone, like the walls of fields in 
Derbyshire or Westmoreland, in England, everywhere catch the eye on the 
bare slopes of Hebron, of Bethlehem, and of Olivet."— Stanley. 

a place for the wine-fat] " dalf a lake." Wyclif. The original word 
only occurs here in the N. T., and is equivalent to the Latin lacus. The 
winepress, = torcular (Matt, xxi, 33), consisted of two parts; (1) the press 
(gath) or trough above, in which the grapes were placed, and there trodden 
by the feet of several persons amidst singing and other expressions of joy 
(Judg. ix, 27 ; Isaiah xvi, 10; Jer. xxv,30) ; (2) a smaller trough (yekeb), into 
which the expressed juice flowed through a hole or spout (Neh. xiii, 15 ; Isai. 



138 



people's commentary 



[Mark XII, 2-3. 



Revised Version. 
press, and built a tower, and let it out to 
husbandmen, and went into another country. 

2 And at the season he sent to the husband- 
men a x servant, that he might receive from 
the husbandmen of the fruits of the vine- 

3 yard. And they took him, and beat him, and 



and built a tower'] 
Isaiah i, 8, xxiv, 20. 



Authorized Version. 

let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far 
country. 

2 And at the season he sent to the husband- 
men a servant, that he might receive from the 
husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 

3 And they caught him, and beat him, and 
sent him away empty. 

1 Gr. bond-servant 

lxiii, 2 ; Lam. i, 15). Here the smaller trough, which was often hollowed 
(" digged ") out of the earth or native rock and then lined ^vith masonry, is 
put for the whole apparatus, and is called a wine-FAT, or wine-press ; Robin- 
son saw a wine-press at Hebleh, near ancient Antipatris, which had been 
hewn out of a rock. There were two parts to the press, an upper and shal- 
low one, in which the grapes were put for pressing, and a lower and deeper 
place to receive the juice from the pressed grapes. Fat from A.S. faet=a 
vessel, vat, according to the modern spelling. Comp. Shakespeare, Ant. and 
Chop. ii,7. 120: 

" Come thou monarch of the vine, 
Plumpie Bacchus, with pink eyne ; 
In thy fattes our cares be drown'd." 

i.e. a " tower of the watchman," rendered cottage in 
Here the watchers and vine-dressers lived ( Isaiah v, 2), 
and frequently with slings, scared away wild animals and robbers. At the 
corner of each enclosure "rises its square gray towers, at first sight hardly 
distinguishable from the ruins of ancient churches or fortresses, which lie 
equally scattered over the hills of Judaea." — Stanley. 

to husbandmen] by these, Trench understands the spiritual leaders and 
teachers of the Jewish nation (Mai. ii, 7 ; Ezek. xxxiv, 2) are intended. Their 
land, secluded and yet central, was hedged round on the east by the river 
Jordan, on the south by the desert of Idumgea, on the west by the sea, on the 
north by Libanus and Anti-Libanus, while they themselves were separated by 
the law from the Gentiles and idolatrous nations around." This would 
agree with Isaiah's figure, but not with Matt, xxi, 43, where the husband- 
man, as Dean Mansel observes, seems to refer to the Jewish nation, in con- 
trast with the nation to which the vineyard would be given. Isaiah also 
speaks of a vineyard of 1000 vines, renting for 1000 silverlings, or shekels, 
equal to about $500. See Is. vii, 23. 

went into afar country] This is too strong for the Greek,- See R. V. ; 
"for a long while" adds Luke, or "many times." "At Sinai, when the 
theocratic constitution was founded, and in the miracles which accompanied 
the deliverance from Egypt, the Lord may be said to have openly manifested 
himself to Israel ; but then to have withdrawn himself again for awhile, not 
speaking to the people again face to face (Deut. xxxiv, 10 — 12), but waiting 
in patience to see what the law would effect, and what manner of works the 
people under the teaching of their spiritual guides, would bring forth." 
— Trench. 

2. at the season] i.e- when the fruit season drew near. 

a servant] so Luke xx, 10 ; his servants, Matt, xxi, 34 ; the prophets and 
other messengers of God. 

of the fruit] the rent not being paid in money, a stipulated portion of 
the produce was to be given, according to the well-known metayer system 
once prevalent over great part of Europe. So prophets were sent to the peo- 
ple from time to time to require of them repentance and righteousness." 

3. they caught him] the increased character of the outrages is clearly 
noted : (1) beating ; (2) trying to kill ; (3) killing — first one of their servants 
and then the son. Compare the confession of the Levites in Neh. ix, 26. 



Mabk XH, 4-10.] OX THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 139 



AUTHORIZED VERSION. 

4 And again he sent unto them another ser- 
vant ; and at him they cast stones, and wounded 
him in the head, and sent Mm away shamefully 
handled. 

5 And again he sent another, and him they 
killed, and many others; beating some and 
killing some. 

6 Having yet therefore one son, his well be- 
loved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, 
They will reverence my son. 

But those husbandmen said among them- 



Revised Version. 

4 sent him away empty. And again he sent 
unto them another x servant ; and him they 
wounded in the head, and handled shame- 

5 fully. And he sent another ; and him they 
killed : and many others ; beating some, and 

6 killing some. He had yet one, a beloved 
son: he sent him last unto them, saying, 

7 They will reverence my son. But those hus- 
bandmen said among themselves, This is the 
heir; come, let us kill him, and the inherit- 

8 ance shall be ours. And they took him, and 
selves, This is the heir ; come, let us kill him, killed him.and cast him forth out of the vine- 
and the inheritance shall be ours. 9 yard. What therefore will the lord of the 

8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast ■ vineyard do? he will come and destroy the 
him out of the vineyard. husbandmen, and will give the vineyard un- 

9 What shall therefore the lord of the vine- 10 to others. Have ye not read even this scrip- 
yard do ? he will come and destroy the husband- j ture ; 

men, and will give the vineyard unto others. 
10 And have ye not read this scripture ; The I 
1 Gr. bond-servant 

4. wounded him in the head] The original word, which generally de- 
notes to comprehend in one sum, or under one head, is nowhere else used 
in this sense. Some MSS. omit " they cast stones ; ' and after wounded him, 
read "handled shamefully." See R.V. The third servant is killed. The 
treatment of these three, was a fair specimen of the general treatment given 
to all the owner's messengers, and also a fair illustration of the manner in 
which Jehovah's messengers had been treated. 

6. Having yet therefore] not only was he his son, but his only one, his 
well-beloved, " a sone most dereworth." — Wyclif. This marks as strongly as 
possible the difference of rank between Christ and the prophets. 

7. This is the heir] "he for whom the inheritance is meant, and to 
whom it will in due course rightfully arrive, not as in earthly relations, by the 
death, but by the free appointment of the actual possessor."' Christ is "heir 
of all things," not as he is the Son of God, but as he is the son of man. This 
is the main point in the parable, and intended to bring home to the Jewish 
rulers their sin in rejecting Christ. 

come, let us kill him] Comp. Gen. xxxvii, 20 : and especially John xi, 
47-53, where "the servants " conspiring against "the heir of all things " ac- 
tually assign as their motive that if they let him alone," they " will lose 
both their place and nation." 

8. and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard] The order is re- 
versed in the first and third Gospels, which remind us of Naboth, whom they 
"carried forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones that he died " (1 
Kings xxi, 13), and of him, who suffered without the gate (Heb. xiii, 12, 13 ; 
John xix, 17). Here they first kill the son, and then fling forth the body and 
deny it the ordinary rites of sepulture. 

9. he will come] According to Matthew, this was the answer of the Phar- 
isees themselves, either before they were aware, pronouncing sentence against 
themselves, or pretending, in the hardness of their hearts, not to see the drift 
of the parable. The answer was followed by " a deep God forbid" from 
several voices (Luke xx, 16). Some attempt "to attach a spiritual meaning to 
every detail of the parable ; e. g., " the hedge '' is "the middle wall of par- 
tition ;" the "wine-press" is the services, ordinances, etc.; the tower, the 
office of the watchman, and so on. Such interpretations are fanciful and 
often misleading. These minor details are only incidental parts.^ of the pic- 
ture, to hold and exhibit the main teaching of the parable. 

10. have ye not read] referring them to Psalm cxviii, 22, 23, a psalm 



140 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XII, 11-13. 



Authorized Version. 
stone which the builders rejected is become the 
head of the corner : 

11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvel- 
lous in our eyes? 

12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but 
feared the people: for they knew that he had 
spoken the parable against them : and they left 
him, and went their way. 

13 And they send unto him certain of the 



Revised Version. 
The stone which the builders rejected, 
The same was made the head of the cor- 
ner: 

11 This was from the Lord, 
And it is marvellous in our eyes ? 

12 And they sought to lay hold on him; and 
they feared the multitude; for they per- 
ceived that he spake the parable against 
them: and they left him, and went away. 

13 And they send unto him certain of the 

which the Jews applied to the Messiah, and whieh is actually twice applied to 
him by Peter in Acts iv, 11 ; 1 Peter ii, 7. 

the head of the corner'] this does not refer to the top stone, but the main 
stone in the foundation, at the corner. The image of the vineyard is for a 
moment abandoned for that of a building. The head of the corner ' ' was 
a large and massive stone, so formed that when placed at a corner, it bound to- 
gether the two outer walls of an edifice. There is no propriety in straining 
it to apply to the union of the Jews and Gentiles in the covenant of grace, 
though the corner-stone may have joined the two walls of a building. 
Comp. for the application of the expression to Christ, Eph. ii, 20, and con- 
sult Isaiah xxviii, 16 ; Dan. ii, 45. The penalties of rejecting him are more 
fully brought out in Matt, xxi, 43, 44 ; Luke xx, 18. 

12. they sought] The three evangelists supplement each other in this por- 
tion of the history. All note the purpose to seize Jesus ; Luke says the 
scribes sought to do it at once, but were afraid of the people (Luke xx, 19), 
Mark notes that they continued these efforts, and Matthew that they were 
thwarted because the multitude held him to be a prophet (xxi, 46). u Thus 
within a few hours of crucifixion, and conscious of the fact ; in the inter- 
vals of the mortal contest with the whole forces of the past and present, the 
wandering Galilean teacher, meek and lowly in spirit, so that the poorest and 
the youngest instinctively sought him ; full of divine pity, so that the most 
sunken and hopeless of penitents felt he was their friend ; indifferent to the 
supports of influence, wealth or numbers ; alone and poor, the very embodi- 
ment of weakness, as regards all visible help, he still bore himself with a serene 
dignity more than human. In the name of God he transfers the spiritual 
glory of Israel to his own followers ; throws down the barriers of caste and 
nationality ; extends the new dominion, of which he is head, to all races and 
through all ages, here and hereafter ; predicts the divine wrath on his ene- 
mies in this world, as the enemies of God, and announces the decision of the 
final judgment as turning on the attitude of men toward himself and his mes- 
sage.' 1 '' — Condensed from Geikie and Liddon. 

Practical Lessons. — " Christ only means that, while God appoints pas- 
tors over his church, he does not convey his right to others, but acts in the 
same manner as if a proprietor were to let his vineyard to a husbandman, 
... who would make annual return." — Calvin. The parable is a pictorial 
history of his dealing with Israel, and their treatment of his messengers and 
his Son. " If some from whom we expected well proved bad, it does not fol- 
low but that others will be better." — Henry. Ryle suggests that the man 
planting the vineyard refers to God ; the vineyard was the Jewish church ; the 
servants the prophets, and the son was Christ. 

13—17. The Tribute Money, A. D. 30. 

13. And they send] Mark does not notice the private council of the Phari- 
sees and the spies (Matt, xxii, 15 ; Luke xx, 20), but mentions the two par- 
ties, Herodians and Pharisees. Having failed themselves, the Jewish 
authorities resolved to send some of the Pharisees, in company with the He* 



Mark XII, 14-16.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 141 

Authorized Versus*. Revised Version. 

Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they 

his words. 14 might catch him in talk. And when they 

14 And when they were come, they say unto were come, they say unto him, l Master, we 
him. Master, we know that thou art true, and know that thou art true, and carest not for 
ca r^st for no man: fur thou regardest not the anyone: for thou regardest not the person 
person of men. but teachest the way of God in of men. but of a truth teachest the way of 
truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or God: Is it lawful to give tribute unto 
not ! Ca?sar, or not ? Shall vre give, or shall we 

15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, 15 not give? But he. knowing their hypocrisy, 
knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them. Why said unto them. Why tempt ye me ? bring 
tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may 16 me a 2 penny, that I may see it. And they 
see it. brought it. And he s<*ith unto them. Whose 

16 And they brought it. And he saith unto is this image and superscription ? And they 
th^m. Whose h this image and superscription? 

And they said unto him, Cesar's. ' 

1 Or, Teacher 2 See marginal note on Matt, xviii, 28, [quoted on page 82.] 

radians, to entrap him with their treacherous questions. Three distinct 
attacks were made : 1 1 ) by the Pharisees, on paying tribute to Caesar ; (2) by 
the Sadducees. on the resurrection: ( 3i by the scribes, on which was the 
greatest commandment, a question disputed then in the schools. 

the Herodians] See note on ch. iii. 6. As before, so now. the Jewish roy- 
alists united themselves with the ultra-orthodox Pharisaic party. The 
Herodians came in person. The Pharisees sent some of their younger schol- 
ars Matt xxii. 16 i to approach him with the pretended simplicity of a guile- 
less spirit, and a desire to solve a perplexing question (Luke xx, 20). 

to catch him'] as a bird is caught in fowling. 

14. Master, ice know] This was said in a spirit of hypocritical flattery, as 
though they were ready to pay him honor as the Messiah. "We find Xicode- 
mus saying the same thing in a spirit of sincerity (John iii, 2). 

and carest for no man] This was a cunning temptation to lift himself 
above all respect for the Roman authorities. 

Is it lawful to give tribute ?] Some Galilean Pharisees opposed this tax 
with special bitterness about this time. The snare was no longer laid in the 
sphere of ecclesiastical questions, but in the more dangerous area of political 
duty. The tribute-money alluded to was a capitation tax levied by the Ro- 
man government, and keenly resented by Judas of Galilee (Acts v. 37) and 
his followers. "If he said no. the Herodians might represent him an 
enemy to Caesar ; if he said yea. the Pharisees might represent him to the 
people as no friend to the nation." — Whitby. " Nothing is more likely to 
ensnare ministers." says the wise Matthew Henry, "than bringing them to 
meddle with controversies about civil rights, and to settle landmarks between 
prince and subjects." 

15. knowing their hypocrisy] " It was with a show of truth they spoke." 
— Bengel. The American revisers read ''try" or "make trial of me," in 
place of " tempt me." 

bring me] " As if he had said, 'What ! are you required to pay taxes to 
Romans? And in what coin? Let me see one. ? " — Alexander. "They 
would not be likely to carry with them the hated Roman coinage, with its 
heathen symbols, though they might have been at once able to produce from 
their girdles the temple shekel. But they would only have to step outside the 
court of the Gentiles and borrow from the money-changer's tables a current 
Roman coin." — Farrar. 

a penny] literally, a denarius, worth about 16 or 17 cents. The Ameri- 
can revisers would transfer, not translate, the name of this coin, and read 
' * a denarius ' ' instead of " a penny. ! ' 

16. Whose is this image] and superscription or other u inscription. ,, 



142 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark XII, 17-22 



Revised Version. 

17 said unto him, Caesar's. And Jesus said un- 
to them, Render unto Caesar the things that 
are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are 
God's. And they marvelled greatly at him. 

18 And there come unto him Sadducees, 
which say that there is no resurrection ; and 

19 they asked him, saying, x Master, Moses 
wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and 
leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, 
that his brother should take his wife, and 

20 raise up seed unto his brother. There were 
seven brethren: and the first took a wife, 

21 and dying left no seed ; and the second took 
her, and died, leaving no seed behind him ; 

22 and the third likewise: and the seven left- 
no seed. Last of all the woman also died. 



Authorized Version. 

17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Ren- 
der to Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and to 
God the things that are God's. And they mar- 
velled at him. 

18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which 
say there is no resurrection; and they asked 
him, saying, 

19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's 
brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and 
leave no children, that his brother should take 
his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 

20 Now there were seven brethren: and the 
first took a wife, and dying left no seed. 

21 And the second took her, and died, neither 
left he any seed: and the third likewise. 

22 And the seven had her, and left no seed : 
last of all the woman died also. 

1 Or, Teacher 

It was Tiberius Caesar who was then reigning. Caesar was a common name ap- 
plied to many Roman emperors, beginning with Julius Caesar. " The little silver 
coin, bearing on its surface the head encircled with a wreath of laurel, and bound 
round with the sacred fillet — the well known features, the most beautiful and the 
most wicked, even in outward expression, of all the Roman emperors, with the su- 
perscription running round, in the stately language of imperial Rome, 'Tiberius 
Ccesar, Divi Augusti films Augustus Imperator. ' The image of the Emperor 
would be regarded by the stricter Jews as idolatrous, and to spare their feelings, 
the Romans had allowed a special coinage to be struck for Judea, without any 
likeness upon it, and only the name of the Emperor, and such Jewish em- 
blems as palms, lilies, grapes, and censors." But it was the first and the 
hated coin which was handed to Jesus. See Geikie. 

17. Render'] literally, Give.back as being due. u Therefore zelde ze to 
Caesar." — Wyclif. It was not a question of a voluntary gift, but of a legal 
due. The head of the emperor on the coin, the legend round it, and its circu- 
lation in the country, were undeniable proofs of the right of the actually ex- 
isting government to levy the tax. 

and to God] u Render unto Caesar all that he can lawfully demand, but 
render also to God what he requires of you as his spiritual subjects." " Give 
to God that which has the image and superscription of God, the soul." — Eras- 
mus. u Man is the carriage " says Alford, " and bears the image of God. We 
owe ourselves to God. "... The answer also gives them the real reason why 
they were now under subjection to Caesar, namely : because they had fallen 
from their allegiance to God. 

they marvelled at him] u No wonder ; the answer of Christ is the wisest 
ever given to an entangling question, and contains in principle the solution 
of the great problem of church and state." — Schaff. 

18—27. The Saddu-cees and the Resurrection. 

18. Sadducees] hitherto the Sadducees, "few, rich and dignified," 
had stood aloof, and affected to ignore the disciples of the despised ir prophet 
of Nazareth." They were the materialists of their day. 

19. Moses wrote] the law concerning the Levirate marriage is found in 
Deut. xxv, 5. It was ordained for the preservation of families, that if a man 
died without male issue, his brother should marry his widow, and that the 
first-born son should be held in the registers to be the son of the dead brother. 

20. there were seven brethren] it was probably a fictitious case, but a 
probable one, even though the Jews were averse to fulfilling the enactment 
at all. They no doubt made the case as difficult as possible, though not lu- 
dicrous, as some suppose. It may have been founded on the case of Sara, 



Mark XH, 23-26.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 143 



Authorized Yersion. Revised Version. 

23 In the resurrection therefore, when they ' 23 In the resurrection whose wife shall she be 
shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for ! 24 of them? for the seven had her to wife. Je- 
the seven had her to wife. 6us said unto them, Is it not for this cause 

24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do I that ye err, that ye know not the scriptures, 
ye not therefore err, because ye know not the 25 nor the power of God ? For when they shall 



rise from the dead, they neither many, nor 
are given in marriage; but are' as angels in 
26 heaven. But as touching the dead, that they 
are raised ; have ye not read in the book of 
Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how 
God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of 



scriptures, neither the power of God ? 

25 For when they shall rise from the dead, 
they neither marry, nor are given in marriage ; 
but are as the angels which are in heaven. 

26 And as touching the dead, that they rise ; 
have ye not read, in the book of Moses, how in 
the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the 
God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, and the 
God of Jacob? 

recorded in the apocryphal book of Tobit (iii, 7, 8) : " Sara, the daughter of 
Raguel, was also reproached by her fathers maids, because she had been 
married to seven husbands." 

23. In the resurrection ...when they shall rise'] when the wife and 
her seven husbands shall rise. In v. 25 there is reference to all that 
arise. The Sadducees erroneously conjectured, that if there be a resurrec- 
tion, the same relations must continue, as here. They did not ask the ques- 
tion to gain a solution, but to puzzle and entrap Jesus, and find ground for 
an accusation. Jesus solves their question, and, in doing it, condemns their 
creed, which denied a resurrection and a future life. 

24. ye know not] our Lord traces their error to ignorance (1) of the 
Scriptures, and (2) of the power of God. He deals with the latter first. 

2o. when they shall rise] had they known the power of God they could 
not have imagined that it was limited by death, or that the life of " the chil- 
dren of the resurrection " was a mere repetition of man's present mortal ex- 
istence. Compare the argument of Paul in 1 Cor. xv, 39-44. 

as the angels] as the Sadducees denied the resurrection and the existence 
of angels and spirits (Acts xxiii, 8), the reply embraces the whole area of 
their unbelief. Jesus refers to the angels in heaven as persons whose per- 
sonal existence was a fact. Moreover, in these words we have one of the 
few revelations which he was pleased to make as to the state after death. 
They imply that, as Paul teaches, at the resurrection u we shall be changed " 
(1 Cor. xv, 44), and the " spiritual body " will not be liable to the passions 
of the " natural body." This reply of the Lord made a deep impression on 
the Jewish mind. Keim and others claim that it has been substantially 
adopted in a Jewish treatise on the resurrection. 

26. in the book of Moses] they had brought forward the name of Moses 
to perplex him. He now appeals to the same great name in order to con- 
fute them. Not that they rejected the authority of other portions of the 
0. T., as earlier and a few late critics have erroneously held; for he does not 
reprove the Sadducees for attaching a higher importance to the Pentateuch 
than to the prophets, but for not perceiving important teaching on the resur- 
rection even there. The argument is an irresistible one. 

in the bush] i. e., in the section of the Book of Exodus (iii, 6) called u the 
bush. ' ' Similarly ' ' the lament of David over Saul and Jonathan " in 2 
Sam. i, 17-27 was called "the bow;" and Ezekiel i, 15-28, " the chariot." 
Compare also Rom. xi, 2 : "in Elias " = the section concerning Elias. In 
the Koran the chapters are named after the matter they contain, and Homer 
is often thus cited by ancient writers. Wyclif alone of our English translators 
gives the right meaning, " Han ze not rad in the book of Moyses on the 
bousche, how God seide to him." 

God spake unto him, saying] God had revealed himself to Moses as a per- 
sonal God, by the august and touching title of " the God of Abraham, and 



144 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XII, 27,28. 



Authorized Version. 

27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God 
of the living : ye therefore do greatly err. 

28 And one of the scribes came, and having 
heard them reasoning together, and perceiving 



Revised Version. 
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God 

27 of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but 
of the living: ye do greatly err. 

28 And one of the scribes came, and heard 



that he had answered them well, asked him, them questioning together, and knowing 

Which is the first commandment of all? I that he had answered them well, asked him, 

the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" and, therefore, as bearing & per- 
sonal relation to these patriarchs. How unworthy would such a title be, if 
he, the Eternal and Unchangeable, had revealed himself only as the God of 
men who had long since crumbled into dust and passed away into annihila- 
tion ! 

27. He is not the God of the dead] i. e., not the God of non-existent 
beings, as their theory would require. If the patriarchs were annihilated 
(dead), then it might be said, " God was their God," i. e., when they were 
alive ; but not u is their God," since they were not in existence any longer. 

but the God of the living] the patriarchs, therefore, though their bodies 
were dead, must themselves have been still living in the separate state, and 
awaiting the resurrection when God made this declaration. Stier suggests 
that this passage is opposed to the " sleep of the soul " during or in an inter- 
mediate state. u It is absurd to think that God's relation to Abraham should 
be continued, and thus solemnly recognized, if Abraham was annihilated... 
Therefore you must conclude (1) that Abraham's soul exists separate from 
the body ; (2) that, therefore, the body must rise again." — M. Henry. 

Practical Thoughts. — On this question of the resurrection Hugh Miller 
observes : " Passing on to the revealed record, we learn that the dynasty of 
man in the mixed state and character is not a final one ; but there is yet to be 
another creation or re-creation, known theologically as the resurrection, which 
shall be connected in its physical components, by bonds of mysterious pater- 
nity, with the dynasty that now reigns, and be bound to it mentally by a 
chain of identity, conscious and actual ; but which, in all that constitutes su- 
periority, shall be as vastly its superior as the dynasty of responsible man is 
superior to even the lowest of the preliminary dynasties [of brute creation]. 
We are further taught that at the commencement of this last of the dynasties 
there will be a re-creation of not only elevated, but also of degraded beings — 
a re-creation of the lost." 

28—34-. The Question of the Scribe. 

28. one of the scribes] From Matt, xxii, 34, 35, it appears that he was a 
Pharisee and a master of the law. He seems to have heard the dispute and 
joined in it to aid in entrapping Christ. He was pleased to see the Sadducees 
overthrown, but he was ready to show his superior skill. 

Which is the first commandment of all] that is, first in importance. 
On this question the schools of Hillel and Shammai were disagreed. The 
lawyer asked it, tempting our Lord (Matt, xxii, 35), hoping that he would 
commit himself as an enemy of tradition. The rabbinical schools taught 
that there were important distinctions between the commandments, some 
being great and others small, some hard and weighty, others easy and of 
less importance. Great commands were the observance of the sabbath, 
circumcision, minute rites of sacrifice and offering, the rules respecting 
fringes and phylacteries. They belittled the ceremonial and moral law, 
which they pretended to weigh and classify, concluding that there were " 248 
affirmative precepts, being as many as the members in the human body, and 
365 negative precepts, being as many as the arteries and veins, or the days 
of the year; the total number being 613, which was also the number of the 
letters in the Decalogue." 



Mark XII, 29-34.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



145 



Revised Version. 

29 What commandment is the first of all ? Je- 
sus answered, The first is, Hear, Israel ; 

30 1 The Lord our God, the Lord is one : and 
thou shalt love the Lord thy God 2 with all 
thy heart, and 2 with all thy soul, and 2 with 
all thy mind, and 2 with all thy strength. 

31 The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neigh- 
bor as thyself. There is none other com- 

32 mandment greater than these. And the 
scribe said unto him, of a truth. 3 Master, 
thou hast well said that he is one ; and there 

33 is none other but he: and to love him with 
all the heart, and with all the understanding, 
and with all the strength, and to love his 
neighbour as himself, is much more than all 

34 whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And 
when Jesus saw that he had answered dis- 
creetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far 



Authorized Version. 

29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all 
the commandments is, Hear, Israel ; The Lord 
our God is one Lord: 

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all 
thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the 
first commandment. 

31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou 
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is 
none other commandment greater than these. 

32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, 
thou hast said the truth : for there is one God ; 
and there is none other but he : 

33 And to love him with all the heart, and 
with all the understanding, and with all the 
soul, and with all the strength, and to love his 
neighbour as himself, is more than all whole 
burnt offerings and sacrifices. 

34 And when Jesus saw that he answered dis- 
creetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from 

1 Or, The Lord is our God; the Lord is one a Gr. from. 3 Or, Teacher 

29. Jesus answered him] pointing, it may be, to the scribe's tephillin, 
the little leather box containing in one of its four divisions the Shema (Deut. 
vi, 4), which every pious Israelite repeated twice a day. For to say the 
Shema was a passport into paradise for any child of Abraham. 

The first of all the commandments'] or ''first is," see R.V. The Saviour 
quotes the introduction to the ten commandments (Deut. vi, 4, 5) as the first 
command, not as forming one of the commandments, but as containing the 
principle of all. The scribe asks, which is the most important of all ; for 
this was the thing disputed in his day. 

31. the second is,] the Lord had named only one commandment as 
great to the rich young ruler (Luke x, 27). To the scribe he names two. 
The Jews and the Christian Fathers divided the ten commandments into two 
equal tables. See Josephus' Antiq., iii, 6, 5. Parents were not regarded as 
neighbors, but as superiors, and representatives of divine authority on the 
earth. Hence the fifth commandment was placed on the first table, among 
those relating to our duties to God. Jesus gives the substance of each table 
according to this division current among the Jews. 

33. burnt offerings and sacrifices] the phrase "with all the soul" is 
omitted in several of the best MSS. ; and is rejected in the R.V. It is found 
in the Alexandrian, but not in the Sinaitic nor the Vatican MSS. The scribe 
gathers up in his reply some of the great utterances of the prophets, which 
prove the superiority of- love to God and man over all mere ceremonial ob- 
servances. See 1 Sam. xv, 22 ; Psalm li ; Hosea vi, 6 ; Micah vi,6-8. " The 
law which God delivered by Moses," says Bishop Hopkins, " was of three 
kinds: (1) ceremonial; (2) judicial; (3) moral." The ceremonial law related 
to the purification and worship of the Jews ; the judicial to their civil govern- 
ment as a people ; the moral law was a body of precepts embodying universal 
and natural equity. The ceremonial law is abrogated ; the judicial is in sus- 
pense, because the Jews are scattered, and do not now form a nation ; the 
moral law is of universal application, now in force, hence is not abrogated, ex- 
cept as to some of its circumstances, e.g. its condemning power over believ- 
ers. See Gal. iii, 13 ; Rom. viii, 1. 

34. discreetly] the original is stronger than "discreetly" — intelligently 
or " wisely," as Wyclif reads. It is not used elsewhere in the N. T. 

Thou art not far] the perception of divine truth which his answer had 
shewed revealed that he wanted but little to become a disciple of Christ. "If 
thou art not far off, enter ; better otherwise to have been far off." — Bengel. 



146 



people's commentary 



[Mark XII, 35-37. 



Authorized Version. 
the kingdom of God. And no man after that 
durst ask him any question. 

35 And Jesus answered and said, while he 
taught in the temple, How Bay the scribes that 
Christ is the son of David ? 

36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, 
The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right 
hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 

37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord ; 
and whence is he then his son ? And the com- 
mon people heard him gladly. 



Revised Version. 
from the kingdom of God. And no man 
after that durst ask him any question. 

35 And Jesus answered and 6aid, as he taught 
in the temple, How say the scribes that the 

36 Christ is the son of David? David himself 
said in the Holy Spirit, 

The Lord said unto my Lord, 
Sit thou on my right hand, 
Till I make thine enemies x the footstool 
of thy feet. 

37 David himself calleth him Lord ; and whence 
is he his son ? And 2 the common people 
heard him gladly. 

1 Some ancient authorities read underneath thy feet. 2 Or, the great multitude 

The scribe was not converted, but his spiritual perceptions were partially- 
awakened. Even a blind man has some ideas of color. Dr. Sanderson, 
though blind from early infancy, " delivered an accurate course of lectures on 
light and color in the University of Oxford. " So an unconverted man may 
talk correctly on theology and doctrine without having a glimpse of the beauty 
and glory of the truth. See A. Alexander, Religious Experience, p. 83. 

no man... durst] none of the scribes or Pharisees dared try to entangle 
him with subtle questions ; the disciples do not appear to have been kept 
from asking questions for information. Others alike kept aloof from 
one from whom chief priests and rabbis alike went away humbled. 
Though silenced, they did not desist from their wicked plans to destroy 
Jesus. 

35 — 37. Counter Question, " Son or David? " 

35. And Jesus answered and said] he seemed to have turned to a num- 
ber of Pharisees (Matt, xxii, 41) who had collected together, to converse pro- 
bably over the day's discomfiture. Mark points out by the words " Jesus an- 
swered ' ' that the statement contained a reply to some question already put. 
Jesus had already silenced their questioning ; now, as Alford suggests, he 
silences their answering. His question now was not as if he had said ' ' what 
think ye of me ? ' ' but ' ' what think ye of Christ, the Messiah ? ' ' 

36. David himself said] The Pharisees are referred to the 110th Psalm, 
which the rabbis regarded as distinctly Messianic. " The Lord (Jehovah) 
said, unto my Lord, (Adonai) Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thy foes 
a footstool for thy feet. 1 " 1 In this lofty and mysterious Psalm, David, speak- 
ing by the Holy Ghost, was carried out of and beyond himself, and saw in 
prophetic vision that his son would also be his Lord. The Psalm is more 
frequently cited by the New Testament writers than any other single portion 
of the ancient Scriptures (Acts ii, 34, 35 ; 1 Cor. xv, 25 ; Heb. i, 13 ; v, 6 ; vii, 
17, 21). "In later Jewish writings nearly every verse of it is quoted as re- 
ferring to the Messiah." — Perowne. 

37. whence is he then his son ?] There could be but one answer : Because 
that son would be David' s son as regarding human birth, and so inferior to David 
in his human nature, but his Lord as regarding his divine nature, andhence, sov- 
ereign of a spiritual kingdom, in which even David must be a subject. This 
answer, however, the Pharisees declined to make, not through ignorance, but 
through unbelief. Skeptics like Renan do not know how to explain this 
passage any better than the Pharisees, but it is clear to all who hold that 
Jesus was the son of God, incarnate — and born of the seed of David accord- 
ing to the flesh. 

the common people] the great multitude. l ' And moche cumpany gladli 
herde him. " — Wyclif. ' l The rich and the mighty were too proud to listen to 



Mark XII, 38-40.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



147 



Revised Version. 

38 And in his teaching he said, Beware of the 
scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, 
and to have salutations in the marketplaces, 

39 and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief 

40 places at feasts : they which devour widows' 
houses, x and for a pretence make long pray- 



AtrTHOEizED Version. 

38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Be- 
ware of the scribes, which love to go in long 
clothing, and love salutations in the market- 
places, 

39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and 
the uppermost rooms at feasts : 

40 Which devour widow's houses, and for a 

1 Or, even while for a pretence they make 

his instructions. So it is still. The chief success of the gospel is there 
[among the poorer classes], and there it pours down its chief blessings. 
This is not the fault of the gospel." — Barnes. 

38—40. Beware of the Scribes. 

38. And he said] The terrible denunciations of the moral and religious short- 
comings of the Readers of the nation are given more fully by Matthew, xxiii, 1-39. 
Only the Jewish Christians, for whom that evangelist wrote, could at once 
understand and enter into the de- 
fective nature of Pharisaic Judaism. 
To the Gentile Christians of Rome, 
for whom Mark wrote, " the great 
woe-speech" would be to a certain 
extent unintelligible. Hence the pic- 
ture of the scribes is given in three 
principal features : (1) ambition, (2) 
avarice, and (3) hypocritical piety. 

in long clothing] "that wolen 
wandre in stoolis." — Wyclif. Stoolis 
from Latin stola = robe. They came 
out to pray in long sweeping robes, 
wearing phylacteries of extra size, 
and exaggerated tassels, hung at the 
corners of their abbas. Many such 
were doubtless to be seen at Jerusalem 
at this very time, who had come up to 
celebrate the feast of the passover. 

love salutations'] the sounding 



title of "Rabbi 



Rabbi. 




A JEWISH SCRIBE. 



39. chief seats] the seats of honor 
for the elders of the synagogue were 
placed in front of the ark containing the law, in the uppermost part, where 
they sat with their faces to the people. In the synagogue at Alexandria there 
were seventy-one golden chairs, according to the number of the members of 
the Great Sanhedrin. 

the uppermost rooms] or most honorable seats ; "places " is not an ade- 
quate translation of the Greek, as Alexander suggests, for it includes a "place 
to recline," "the first sitting places in soperis." — Wyclif; the highest place 
on the divan at the feast, as among the Greeks. Among the Romans, when 
a party consisted of more than three persons, it was the custom to arrange 
three of the couches on which they reclined round a table, so that the whole 
formed three sides of a square, leaving one side of the square open for the 
attendants. These couches were then respectively designated lectus medius, 
summus and imus. The middle place in the triclinium was considered the 
most dignified. At a feast there would be many such triclinia. See Schaff 's 
Diet, of the Bible. 

40. devour widows 1 houses] as professed guardians and administrators of 



148 



people's commentary 



[Mark XII, 41, *& 



Revised Version. 
ere; these shall receive greater condemnation. 

41 And he sat down over against the treasury, 
and beheld how the multitude cast 1 money 
into the treasury : and many that were rich 

42 cast in much. And there came 2 a poor 
widow, and she cast in two mites, which 

43 make a farthing. And he called unto him 



Authorized Version. 
pretence make long prayers : these shall receive 
greater damnation. 

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and 
beheld how the people cast money into the trea- 
sury: and many that were rich cast in much. 

42 And there came a certain poor widow, and 
she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 

1 Gr. brass. 2 Gr. one. 

their property. But compare the R.V., which makes these words begin a 
new sentence ; the relative in the A. V. obscures the sense. 

greater damnation] "thei taken longe dom." — Wyclif. The word denotes 
"judgment," "punishment." The verb from which it comes denotes "to 
judge," pass sentence, condemn. In 1 Cor. xi, 29, the words rendered dam- 
nation, discerning, judged, and condemnation, are all, in the original, parts 
or derivatives of the same word ; and so Wyclif admirably rendered them into 
the language of his day by words connected with one and the same English 
verb ; ' ' He that etith and drinkith unworthili, etith and drinkith doom to 
him, not wisely, demyng the bodi of the Lord... and if we demyden wisely us 
silf we schulden not be demyd, but while we be demyd of the lord we ben 
chastised, that we be not dampnyd with this world." Compare also Chau- 
cer, Monk's Tale, 15091, " Dampnyd was he to deye in that prison." — Bible 
Word Book. 

41 — 41. The Widow's Mite. 

41. And Jesus sat] in perfect calmness and quietness of spirit after all 
the fierce opposition of this "day of questions." 

the treasury] Lange suggests that the sacrifice fund is meant, which was dis- 
tinguished from the proper temple treasury, though belonging to it. The treas- 
ury, according to the Rabbis, consisted of thirteen brazen chests, called 
"trumpets," because the mouths through which the money was cast into the 
chest were wide at the top and narrow below. They stood in the outer 
" Court of the Women." ' Nine chests were for the appointed temple tri- 
bute, and for the sacrifice-tribute, that is money-gifts instead of the sacrifices; 
four chests for freewill- offerings, for wood, incense, temple decoration, and 
burnt- offerings." — Lightfoot. Alford suggests, that there was a building of 
that name, according to Josephus ; but the former interpretation is generally 
accepted. 

beheld] The imperfect tense in the original implies that he continued 
watching and observing the scene. " Christus in hodierno quoque cultu 
spectat omnes." — Bengel. 

how the people] " Before the Passover, freewill- offerings in addition to the 
temple-tax were generally presented." — Lange. 

42. a certain poor widow] One of the helpless class which he had just 
described as devoured by the extortion of the scribes and Pharisees. In three 
words Mark presents to us a picture of her desolation; she was alone, she was 
a widow, and she was poor. 

two mite s] The primary meaning of the word rendered mite is thin or tiny. 

The Lepton, or mite, here mentioned was 
the very smallest copper coin current 
among the Jews, and was equal to about 
one- fifth of a cent. " Tenlepta is a copper 
coin about as large as our [copper] cent, 
and we found it in common currency at 
Athens." — Jacobus. Two lepta made one 
assarion, farthing. Roman auadrans, which was one-fourth 




that she had, even all her living. 
13 And as he went forth out of the temple, 



Mark XII, 43-XIH, 1.] ON THE GOSPEL OP MARK. 149 

Authorized Version. i Kevised Version. 

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and | his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I 
saith unto them. Verily I say unto you, That : say unto you, This poor widow cast in more, 
this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they j than all they which are casting into the trea- 
which have cast into the treasury : I 44 snry : for they all did cast in of their super- 

44 Tor &\\ they did cast in of their abundance; ] Unity; but she of her want did cast in all 
but she of her want did cast in all that she had, 
even all her living. 
^|HAP. XIII.— And as he went out of the 

of an as. This poor widow gave two: Bengel incorrectly says, she might have kept 
one ; but the law did not permit giving less than two, though the offering was vol- 
untary. See Schottgen and Cook. She gave her "all." "If we have regard 
to the origin of the expression, it argues more of presumption than humility 
to call any gift, as many do, however liberal, unless it were our all, a 'mite,' 
while the frequent use of the term to excuse some shabby offering which costs 
the donor nothing, is a remarkable example of the serene unconsciousness 
with which persons will sometimes pass the most bitter sarcasms upon them- 
selves. ' ' — Davies. 

43. more in, than all they] it is not said that the gifts of the others were 
worthless. Many possessed, no doubt, no worth (Matt, vi, 1); others a 
greater or a less. " It is not so much for the rich to give thousands as for the 
poor to give tens." — Jacobus. " Thus Christ shows how he will as earnestly 
regard the smallest service of any of his people." — Stier. He discovers it 
amid the deepest corruption. 

4:4. of their'] or their abundance, " of that thing that was plenteous to 
them. ' ? — Wyclif. 

she of her wanf] " of hir nyseste sente alle thingis that she hadde, al hir 
lyflode." — Wyclif. After this incident in the "court of the women," and 
apparently while the Saviour was still there, two of the apostles, Andrew and 
Philip, brought to him the inquiring Greeks, who had desired to see him 
(John xii, 20-22). No sooner did he behold these "inquirers from the 
west," than he broke into words of mysterious joy (John xii, 24-26), and 
presentiment of his coming passion (John xii, 27-28) ; after which was heard 
the last of the three heavenly voices, attesting the true dignity of his mission 
(John xii, 28). And so with the clear pre-vision that he was about to be 
" lifted up 11 he prepared to leave the temple, which he was never to enter 
again. His public work was over. 

Practical Lessons./— (1) " God is pleased with offerings made to him and 
his cause. (2) We are to give to his cause. (3) The proof of love is not 
merely the amount, but the amount compared with our ability. (4) It may 
be proper to give our all to God, and trust him for a supply of our wants. 
(5) God regards the humblest giver, and loves the cheerful giver. (6) 
Every giver may ask how much he gives, compared with what he has, and 
why he gives." A man "has contributed his mite " when he has given half 
his living, and his "two mites" when he gives " all his living." 

Ch. XIII. 1 — 23. Prophecies of the Destruction of Jerusalem. 
(Tuesday, 12th Nisan, 783, April 4th, A.D. 30.) 

The following discourse on the mount of Olives is recorded by Matthew and 
Luke also. The prophecy in it refers to the fall of Jerusalem, and to the second 
coming of Christ. The disciples asked about the two events, and the answer 
relates to both. The difficulty of interpreting the prophecy is increased t>y 
this blending of two distinct things ; as it requires great care and judgment 
to decide what relates to each of these two events. 

1. And as he went] Jesus probably passed from the temple down the 
eastern steps toward the brook Kedron. ; - 



150 



PEOPLES COMMENTARY 



[Mark XIII, 2. 



Revised Version. 

one of his disciples saith unto him, * Master, 

behold, what manner of stones and what 

2 manner of buildings ! And Jesus said unto 

him, Seest thou these great buildings ? there 



Authorized Version. 
temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Mas- 
ter, see what manner of stones and what build- 
ings are here ! 

2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest 
thou these great buildings ? there shall not be 

1 Or, Teacher. 

the temple] the first temple built by Solomon, B. C. 1014-1007, was wonderful 
for richness, beauty,and splendor. Four centuries after, it was destroyed by Neb- 
uzaradan, under Nebuchadnezzar, B. C. 586. The second and new Temple of 
Zerubbabel was built on the site of Solomon's Temple, by authority of Cyrus 
the Persian, and completed B. C. 517. A rival temple was built on Mount 
Gerizim, by the Samaritans, B. C. 409. The temple at Jerusalem was plun- 
dered B. C. 170, and again in B. C. 54. Herod the Great began to restore 
and enlarge the second temple, B. C. 17, and finished the main buildings in 
about eight years ; but the work was only fully completed under Herod Agrip- 
pa II, in A. D. 64. It was destroyed" at the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, A. 
D. 70. 

manner of stones] the enormous size of the marble blocks of the temple, 
the grandeur of its buildings, awakened the admiration of one of the disciples, 
and he directed his Master's attention to them. "The buildings or struc- 
tures included columns, chambers, porticoes, that were, as Luke tells us, the 
votive offerings of the faithful (Luke xxi, 5)." — Ellicott. Josephus tells us 
that while some of the stones were forty-five feet long, many were thirty-seven 
and a half feet long, twelve feet high, and eighteen broad. — Jos. Bell. Jud. 
v, 6, 6 ; Ant. xv, 11, 3. 

2. there shall not be left] though now they seem immovably fixed 
in their places. Captain Wilson, of the Ordnance Survey, has shown that 
the present wall has been rebuilt, probably on the foundation of the older 
one, and that the same stones were re-used. These older stones can be re- 
cognized by their character and marks. The prophecy was fulfilled, but the 
stones are left, a witness to the accuracy of the narrative. In less than forty 
years after this prophecy, ' ' Zion was ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem be- 
came heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the for- 
est" (Micah iii, 12), A. D. 70. The Emperor Titus was amazed at the mas- 
sive buildings of Jerusalem, and traced in his triumph the hand of God (Jos. 
Bell. Jud. vi, 9, 1). After the capture of the city, the tenth legion, under 

the command of Terentius Rufus, com- 
pleted the work of demolition, and Jose- 
|j phus tells us (Bell. Jud. vii, 1, 1) that the 
1 whole enclosing walls and precincts of the 
H temple were ' ' so thoroughly levelled and 
dug up that no one visiting the city would 
believe it had ever been inhabited." And 
Captain Wilson asserts that nothing is now 
in situ in the Haram wall, except per- 
haps the southwest corner, and a portion 
of the wall under the Mahkama ; not any 
portion on which Jesus and his disciples 
were gazing ; hence, it is literally fulfilled. 
Lange aptly suggests that the language of 
Jesus is intended to depict a violent rather 
than a regular breaking down of the tem- 
the wailing place of the jews. pi e . Ryle believes, however, that our 
(From photograph.) Lord, in these prophecies, "had in view 




Mark. XIII, 3-7.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



151 



Authorized Version. 
left one stone upon another, that shall not be 
thrown down. 

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, 
over against the temple, Peter and James and 
John and Andrew asked him privately, 

4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and 
what shall be the sign when all these things shall 
be fulfilled? 

5 And Jesus answering them, began to say, 
Take heed lest any man deceive you: 

6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I 
am Christ: and shall deceive many. 

7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours 
of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must 
needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 



Revised Version. 
shall not be left here one stone upon another, 
which shall not be thrown down. 

3 And as he sat on the mount of Olives over 
against the temple, Peter and James and 

4 John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell 
us, when shall these things tee? and what 
shall be the sign when these things are all 

5 about to be accomplished? And Jesus began 
to say unto them, Take heed that no man 

6 lead you astray. Many shall come in my 
name, saying, I am he ; and shall lead many 

7 astray. And when ye shall hear of Mars and 
rumours of wars, be not troubled: these 
things must needs come to pass ; but the end 



a second siege of Jerusalem, and a second tribulation accompanying that siege, 
as well as the first siege and tribulation when the city was taken by Titus." 
He finds proof of this view in Zech. xiv. This interpretation of two sieges, 
and of Christ's coming following the second siege, he thinks, renders the chap- 
ter "plain and intelligible." 

thrown down'] the Greek is more closely rendered by Canon Cook, "shall 
be loosed," which is the precise impression made on the mind of an engineer 
exploring the wall now. 

3. the mount of Olives'] crossing the valley of the Kedron, the little com- 
pany ascended one of the footpaths that lead over the mount of Olives in the 
direction of Bethany. When they had reached the summit, he sat down 
(Matt, xxiv, 3; Mark xiii, 3). 

over against the temple] the summit of Olivet is directly opposite or facing 
the temple area, and from it there is a fine view of Jerusalem. The temple 
was really the third temple ; the first temple was built by Solomon and de- 
stroyed by Nebuchadnezzar ; the second was built by Ezra and Nehemiah : 
the third temple was an enlargement or rebuilding of the second, and was 
chiefly the work of Herod. It was not completed until after the death of 
Christ. 

Peter and James and John and Andrew] These apostles probably now sat 
nearest to their Master. Andrew is added to the select company of three. 

4. what shall be the sign] The question, as given more fully by Matthew 
(xxiv, 3) embraced three points: (1) the time of the destruction of the tem- 
ple ; the sign (2) of his Coming ; and (3) of the end of the world. 

5. began to say] which is something more than ' ' said, ' ' as Alexander aptly 
suggests; (comp. also the R. V.) and seems here to imply that what he said 
was not restricted to a single topic ; that he first spoke of one thing, and then 
proceeded to speak of another. This is the more probable because our Lord, 
instead of beginning with the signs or premonitions of his second coming, as 
many seem to think he does, and as the twelve may have expected, begins by 
telling what was not to be so reckoned, although apt to be mistaken for the 
signs in question. 

_ Take heed] the disciples appear to have expected Jesus to assume the 
kingly power at once. "Having been convinced that as soon as the reign of 
Christ should commence, they would be in every respect happy, they leave 
warfare out of the account and fly all at once to a triumph." — Abbott. "The 
four moral key-notes of the discourse on the last things are ' Beware, 1 
' Watch, 1 ' Endure, 1 'Pray. 111 — Farrar. 

6. many shall come] the " For" is omitted in R. V., as also in verses 7 
and 9. Doddridge regards Josephus' history of the Jewish wars as the best 
commentary on this chapter. Five tokens are here given: (1) the rise of 
false prophets; (2) wars and rumors of wars; (3) the rising of nation against 



152 



people's commentaey 



[Mark XIII, 8, 9. 



Authorized Version. 

8 For nation shall rise against nation, and 
kingdom against kingdom : and there shall be 
earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be 
famines and troubles : these are the beginnings 
of sorrows. 

9 But take heed to yourselves : for they shall 
deliver you up to councils: and in the syna- 
gogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be 



Kevised Version. 

8 is not yet. For nation shall rise against na- 
tion, and kingdom against kingdom : there 
shall be earthquakes in divers places ; there 
shall be famines: these things are the be- 
ginning of travail. 

9 But take ye heed to yourselves : for they 
shall deliver you up to councils; and in syna- 
gogues shall ye be beaten; and before gov- 
ernors and kings shall ye stand for my sake, 

nation ; (4) earthquakes; (5) famines (some MSS. omit troubles, v. 8). The 
A. V. implies that there would be many false Messiahs, or false Christs, 
though that is not necessarily the meaning in the R. V. Since the fall of Je- 
rusalem, upwards of fifty false Christs among the Jews are noticed by historical 
writers ; it is not known that many appeared before that event. 

8. nation — against nation] " There were serious disturbances, (1) which 
gave rise to the complaint against and deposition of Flaccus, and Philo's work 
against him, A. D. 38, in which the Jews as a nation were the especial objects 
of persecution ; (2) At Sileucia, about the same time, in which more than fifty 
thousand Jews were killed; (3) at Jamnia, a city on the coast of Judaea, near 
Joppa. Many other such national tumults are recorded by Josephus." — Al- 
ford. 

- earthquakes] the following are some of the great earthquakes noted about 
that time : in Crete, about A. D. 51 ; in Phrygia, in 53 ; in Laodicea, in 60 ; 
in Campania, in 58; in Jerusalem, in 67 ; at Pompeii, in 63. 

the beginnings of sorrows'] The expression here is remarkable, and so the 
creation is said to be "groaning and travailing " (Rom. viii, 22), waiting for 
its regeneration (Matt, xix, 28) or new birth. For the fulfillment of these 
prophecies comp. Jos. Ant . xix, 1 ; Tac. Ann. xii, 38 ; xv, 22 ; xvi, 13 ; 
Sen. Ep. xci. Of these five classes of signs or tokens, the first was false 
prophets or Christs. There were, the Egyptian false prophet at the head of 
thirty thousand men, twelve years after Christ's resurrection; Theudas, Do- 
sitheus, and just after the fall of Jerusalem, Bar Cochba, Jonathan, and others. 
Hegessippus says many false Christs came. The second sign was wars : a 
long time of universal peace preceded the birth of Jesus ; after his death, un- 
til- Jerusalem was destroyed, there was little else but threatened or actual war 
among the Jews. The third and fourth signs were strikingly fulfilled, as sec- 
ular history testifies. The fifth sign, as noted by Luke, "fearful sights," etc., 
according to Josephus, had several forms of fulfillment, as (1) a star like a 
sword hanging over the city ; (2) a supernatural light in the temple ; (3) the 
massive eastern gate of solid brass, requiring twenty men to open it, opened 
of its own accord ; (4) armies fighting in the clouds ; (5) a voice in the tem- 
ple : " Let us depart"; (6) a countryman running through the streets, crying 
" A voice against Jerusalem and the temple. Woe, woe to Jerusalem," etc. 
See Hist. V Josephus. But Alexander thinks it difficult to find in contem- 
porary history a state of things answerable to this description before the down- 
fall of Jerusalem, the local wars and disturbances being, in his view, too in- 
significant to exhaust the terribly sublime description. These ' ' signs ' ' then 
preceded the destruction of Jerusalem, but realized on a larger scale they are 
to herald the end of all things ; comp. 1 Thess. v, 3 ; 2 Thess. ii, 2. 

9. to councils] not the council, i. e. , the Sanhedrin, but the lower courts. 
Some were brought before the great council, as in Acts iv, 3, we find all the 
apostles brought before the Sanhedrin ; and again in Acts v, 18, 27. Simi- 
larly, Paul was brought before the same council, Acts xxiii, 1. 

in the synagogues shall ye be beaten] " Of the Jews," says Paul (2 Cor. xi, 
24), "five times received I forty stripes save one"; "thrice was I beaten with 



xni, 10-13.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



153 



Authorized Version. 
brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for 
a testimony against them. 

10 And the gospel must first be published 
among all nations. 

11 But -when they shall lead you, and deliver 
you up, take no thought beforehand what ye 
shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but 
■whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that 
speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the 
Holy Ghost. 

12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to 
death, and the father the 6on ; and children 
shall rise up against their parents, and shall 
cause them to be put to death. 

13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my 
name's sake : but he that shall endure unto the 
end, the same shall be saved. 



Kevised Version. 

10 for a testimony unto them. And the gospel 
must first be preached unto all the nations. 

11 And when they lead you to judgement, and 
deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand 
what ye shall speak: but whatsoever shall 
be given you in that hour, that speak ye : for 
it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. 

12 And brother shall deliver up brother to 
death, and the father his child ; and children 
shall rise up against parents, and * cause 

13 them to be put to death . And ye 6hall b6 
hated of all men for my name's sake : but he 
that endureth to the end, the same shall be 
saved. 



1 Or, put them to death 



rods. ' ' It was part of the duties of the Chazzan, or minister in each syna- 
gogue, to maintain order and scourge the condemned. 

before rulers and kings~\ The Roman tetrarchs are sometimes called kings. 
Paul stood before Felix (Acts xxiv, 10-22), Festus (Actsxxv, 1-11), Agrippa 
(Acts xxvi, 1-23), Nero (2 Tim. iv, 16). The general persecutions of Christ- 
ians in later times, under Nero, in wbich Peter and Paul suffered martyrdom, 
may also be alluded to. Schaff doubts whether prophecy has such specific 
fulfillment as some commentators, like Alford, advocate, and Lange suggest? 
that the wars referred to extend to the end of the world. 

10. the gospel must first be published'] or " proclaimed." The gospel was 

Proclaimed throughout the Roman Empire, from Arabia to Damascus, from 
erusalem to Illyricum, in Italy and in Spain, during the lifetime of some of 
his hearers. Comp. Rom. xv, 19, 24, 28 ; Col. i, 6, 23. Alexander accepts 
the general spread of the church before the fall of Jerusalem, as a substantial 
fulfillment of this prediction. One point is clear, as Canon Cook suggests : 
tribulation must be the portion of the church whatever may be the duration 
of the interval during which the gospel is to be proclaimed in the world. 

11. take no thought beforehand'] See R. V. "Nyle the thenke what 
ye schulen speke." — Wyclif "Thought," in the time of Bang James, 
signified undue care or anxiety. Shakespeare, Jul. Cces. n, i, 186, says, 

" If he love Csesar, all that he can do 
Is to himself take thought and die for Cassar." 

but whatsoever shall be given you] the Greek word rendered premeditate 
is the common phrase for committing to memory a speech, as opposed to 
extempore speaking. It is omitted in several MSS. and in the R.V. If re- 
tained it gives no warrant to ministers who get up to preach unprepared 
every Sunday. Such a perverted "application of this passage is utterly un- 

f'ustifiable." Comp. Matt, x, 19, 20, where the words occur as a portion of our 
word's charge to his twelve apostles. " These were very weighty words for 
the Roman Christians, at a time when the martyrdom of the apostles Peter 
and Paul, in Rome, was about to take place." — Lange. The apostles, ac- 
cording to Alexander's view, were simply to be the channels of the revela- 
tions which the Holy Spirit would make at such times. 

13. he that shall endure] " he that shall susteyne in to the ende." — Wyc- 
lif. The endurance here spoken of is the brave and peristent endurance of the 
Christian in faith and love. In this noble word, the " queen of virtues," as 
Chrysostom does not fear to call it, "there always appears in the New Testa- 
ment a background of manliness ; it does not mark merely the endurance, 
the ' sustinentiam,' or even the 'patientiam, but the ' perseverantiam,' the 
' brave patience ' with which the Christian contends against the various hind- 



154 



PEOPLE S COMMENTARY 



[Mark XIII, H 



Revised Version. 
14 But when ye see the abomination of deso- 
lation standing where he ought not (let him 
that readeth understand), then let them that 



Authoeized Version. 
14 But when ye shall see the abomination of 
desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, 
standing where it ought not, (let him that read- 
eth understand,) then let them that be in Judea 
flee to the mountains : 

ranees, persecutions and temptations that befall him in his conflict with the 
inward and outward world. ' ' For further accounts of the fulfillment of these 
prophecies consult the Acts and Epistles ; the writings of Josephus, and of 
Roman writers, as Seneca, Epis. xci, 9 ; Suetonius, Claud, xviii, Tacitus 
Ann. xv, 44, and Pliny, Epis. x, 97. 

Practical Teaching. — "Make it a rule that never a day shall pass with- 
out speaking for Christ. People won't like it. If you are a living witness 
for Christ it makes people against you. You will suffer persecution and be 
spoken against, and yet they will send for such a man first when they are in 
trouble, or on their death-bed. The man that is popular with the world is 
not a friend of Jesus." — Moody. 

14-. But when ye shall see'] He had distinctly foretold the destruction of 
Jerusalem, now he notices some signs which would precede its fall, and tells 
them how they may secure their own safety. 

the abomination of desolation] This expression comes from Dan. ix, 27, 
' ' and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, ' ' or, 
as it is rendered in the margin, "and upon the battlements shall be the idols 
of the desolator. ' ' The Septuagint renders it, ' ' and upon the temple the 
abomination of desolations;" comp. 2 Mace, vi, 2. Hengstenberg would 
translate it, "and over the top of abomination comes the desolation." In the 
Apocrypha it is applied to the profanation of the altar by Antiochus, 1 Mace. 
i, 54. The key to the interpretation seems to be supplied by Luke xxi, 20, 
" And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that 
the desolation thereof is nigh." Hence, some would understand it to denote 
(1) any and all the abominations practiced by the Romans on the place 
where the temple stood. (2) Others, the eagles, the standards of the Roman 
army which were held in abomination by the Jews. The Roman eagles, 
therefore, rising over the site of the temple, " where they ought not ," and 
"compassing" the city (Luke xxi, 20), was the sign that the Holy Place 

had fallen under the dominion of the 
idolators. Others (3) would refer the 
words not only to the Roman eagles, 
but to the outrages of lust and murder 
perpetrated by the ' 'zealots, ' 'which drove 
every worshipper in horror from the sa- 
cred courts. See Jos. Bell. Jud. iv, 3, 7. 
The second explanation is ingeniously 
urged by Greswell, and is accepted by 
many ; but the first view, that it applies 
to the pollution of the temple in any 
way, is preferable. 

spoken of by Daniel] This phrase is 
omitted in many MSS. and is dropped in 
the R.V. It is found in Matthew, however. 
The reference is generally held to be to 
Dan. ix, 27, but Calvin stoutly disputes 
this, and thinks it refers to Dan. xii, 11. 
flee to the mountains] Compare the flight 
of Lot from the ' ' cities of the plain. ' ' 
Gen. xix, 17. Eusebius says the Christians were warned, by a revelation, to 




ROMAN STANDARDS. 



Mark XIII, 15-18.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OP MARK. 



155 



Revised Version. 

15 are in Judaea flee unto the mountains : and 
let him that is on the housetop not go down, 
nor enter in, to take anything out of his 

16 house ; and let him that is in the field not 

17 return hack to take his cloke. But woe unto 
them that are with child and to them that 

18 give suck in those days ! And pray ye that 

19 it be not in the winter. For those days shall 



Authorized Version. 

15 And let him that is on the housetop not go 
down into the house, neither enter therein, to take 
anything out of his house : 

16 And let him that is in the field not turn 
back again for to take up his garment. 

17 But woe to them that are with child, and to 
them that give suck in those days ! 

18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the 
winter. 

flee to Pella. Hence, the Jewish Christians fled from Jerusalem to this Persean 
town, a distance of about 100 miles. Hammond notices the providential and 
temporary raising of the siege by Gallus (who could have taken the city), thus 
affording an opportunity for escape to those heeding the warning of Jesus. 
So far as known, not a single Christian Jew perished in the fall of Jerusa- 
lem. "Somewhere on the slopes of Gilead, near the scene of Jacob's first 
view of the land of his descendants, and of the capital of the exiled David, 
was Pella (identified with Tubakat FaWl), so called by the Macedonian 
Greeks from the springing fountain, which likened it to the birthplace of 
their own Alexander... From these heights Abner, in his flight from the 
Philistines, and David, in his flight from Absalom, and the Israelites, on their 
way to Babylon, and the Christian Jews of Pella caught the last glimpse of 
their familiar moutains." — Stanley. 

15. neither enter therein] The houses of Palestine were furnished with a 
flight of steps outside, by which the housetops could be reached without actu- 
ally entering the house. Comp. chap, ii, 3, 12. Roofs are used for sleep, re- 
tirement, prayer, or secretion. The Christians were thus warned by our Lord 
to flee by the outside staircase, or to run along the roofs to the city wall, and so 
make their escape. 

16. his garment] i.e. his "outer garment." 

18. pray ye] The fatalist and skeptic may smile at this exhortation, but 
it is based on the profoundest philosophy. The interposition of providence in 
answer to prayer maybe made, not within a line seen by the suppliant, but in 
one which is to meet him on his path. "Herein," observes Isaac Taylor, " is 
especially manifested the perfection of divine wisdom, that the most surprising 
conjunctions of events are brought about by the simplest means, and in a man- 
ner that is perfectly in harmony with the ordinary course of human affairs. 
This is, in fact, the great miracle of providence; that no miracles are needed to 
accomplish its purposes." And J. McCosh calmly urges, " Read in the spirit 
of faith, striking coincidences will everywhere manifest themselves. What 
singular union of two streams at the proper place to help on the exertions of 
the great and good ! What curious intersections of cords to catch the wicked 
as in a net, when they are prowling as wild beasts ! By strange, but most 
opposite correspondences, human strength, when set against the will of God, 
is made to waste away, under God's burning indignation against it, as in heathen 
story Meleager wasted away as the stick burned which his mother held in 
the fire." — Divine Government, pp. 176, 203. 

be not in the winter] with its rains and storms and swollen torrents, 
"neither;" Matthew adds (xxiv, 20), " on the sabbath day." The reading 
"it" of the re vdsed version, in place of "your flight," refers, rather to the 
siege, which took place in our October. But if Christ intended to refer to the 
flight of Christians, as in A.V., it is remarkable that immediately after the de- 
feat and temporary raising of the siege by Gallus, their flight probably took 
place, which was in one of the mildest months in Syria. For ( 1 ) the compas sing 
of the city by the Roman armies spoken of by Luke (xxi, 20) took place at 
the commencement of October, a.d. 66, when the weather was yet mild and 



156 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XIII, 19, 20. 



Authorized Version. 

19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as 
was not from the begin ning of the creation which 
God created unto this time, neither shall be. 

20 And except that the Lord had shortened 
those days, no flesh should be saved : but for the 
elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath 
shortened the days. 



Revised Version. 
be tribulation, such as there hath not been 
the like from the beginning of the creation 
which God created until now, and never 
20 6hall be. And except the Lord had shortened 
the days, no flesh would have been saved: 
but for the elect's sake, whom he chose, he 



favorable for travelling : (2) the final siege, if any Christian Jews lingered on 
till then, took place in the still more open months of April or May. See Lew- 
in's Fasti Sacri, pp. 344 and 358. The Jewish custom, which forbade travel- 
ling on the sabbath beyond a distance of 2000 ells, would make the Christian 
Jews' travelling on that day infinitely more difficult, even though they might 
themselves be possibly free from any scruple. " They would, in addition to 
other embarrassments, expose themselves to the severest persecutions of 
fanaticisms. ' ' — Lange. 

19. such as... from the beginning of the creation] Josephus declares of 
the calamities attending the fall of Jerusalem, in almost the words of this 
prophecy, "the misfortunes of all men, from the beginning of the world, 
if they be compared to those of the Jews, are not so terrible as theirs were," 
" nor did any age ever produce a generation more fruitful in wickedness, from 
the beginning of the world." The city was densely crowded by the multi- 
tudes which had come up to the Passover. Pestilence ensued, and famine 
followed. The commonest instincts of humanity were forgotten. Acts of 
violence and cruelty were perpetrated without compunction or remorse, and 
barbarities enacted which cannot be described. Mothers snatched the food 
from the mouths of their husbands and children, and one mother of rank 
actually killed, roasted, and devoured her infant son, and was discovered by 
some who sought to rob her of her food. (Comp. Lev. xxvi, 29 ; Deut. 
xxviii, 56, 57). Dead bodies filled the houses and streets of the city, while 
cruel assassins rifled and mangled with the exultation of fiends. The hor- 
rors of the war, famine and pestilence combined were indescribable. The 
besieged devoured even the filth of the streets, and so excessive was the 
stench that it was necessary to hurl 600,000 corpses over the wall, while 97,- 
000 captives were taken during the war, and more than 1,100,000 perished 
in the siege, and nearly 500,000 more in various conflicts accompanying the 
fall of Israel, which occurred elsewhere in the land. See Josephus, Bell. 
Jud. vi, 9, 3 ; Tacitus, Hist, v, 13 ; Milman's History of the Jews ii, 16 ; 
Merivale's History of the Romans, vi, 59. 

20. except that the Lord had shortened'] If in God's pitying mercy the 
number of those awful days had not been shortened, no flesh could have been 
saved, referring, of course, to the Jewish people. 

for the elect 1 s sake] i. e. for the sake of the Christians. This was fulfilled 
literally, though the city was strong, and the provisions ample for many years' 
siege. 

he hath shortened] They were shortened, (1) by the order of Claudius 
stopping Agrippa from completing the fortifications of Jerusalem ; (2) by 
the division and factions among the Jews ; (3) by the burning of the stores of 
provisions, which were sufficient for a siege of several years ; (4) by the 
abandonment of the towers of the fortification by the Jews, on the arrival of 
Titus ; (5) by the vigorous attacking and storming of the city, instead of 
sitting out a siege. Titus encircled the city with a wall, five miles in extent, 
and fortified it with thirteen strong garrisons, in the almost incredibly short 
space of three days, and Josephus makes special mention of his eagerness 
to bring the siege to an end. The city, which in the time of Zedekiah (2 
Kings xxv, 1-6 ; Jer. xxxix, 1, 2) had resisted the forces of Nebuchadnez- 



Mark XIII, 21-26.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



157 



Revised Version. 
22 shortened the days. And then if any man 
shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ ; 

22 or, Lo, there; believe 1 it not: for there shall 
arise false Christs and false prophets, and 
shall shew signs and wonders, that they may 

23 lead astray, if possible, the elect. But take 
ye heed : behold, I have told you all things 
beforehand. 

24 But in those days, after that tribulation, 
the sun shall be darkened, and the moon 

25 shall not give her light, and the stars shall 
be falling from heaven, and the powers that 

26 are in the heavens shall be shaken. And 
then shall they see the Son of man coming in 



Authorized Version. 

21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, 
here is Christ: or, lo, fee is there; believe him 
not: 

22 For false Christs and false prophets shall 
rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to se- 
duce, if it were possible, even the elect. 

23 But take ye heed : behold, I have foretold 
you all things. 

24 But in those (Hays, after that tribulation, the 
sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not 
give her light, 

25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the 
powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 

26 And then shall they see the Son of man 
coming in the clouds with great power and 
glory. 

1 Or, liim 

zar for sixteen months, was taken by the Romans in less than five. The 
strong language also seems to have reference to tribulations in the last times. 

22. false Christs and false prophets'] " Josephus tells us that false pro- 
phets and impostors prevailed on multitudes to follow them into the desert, 
promising there to display signs and wonders (eomp. Acts xxi, 38) ; and even 
at the last, when the temple was in flames, numbers of all ages flocked 
thither from the city, upon the proclamation of a false prophet, and of six 
thousand assembled there on this occasion, not one escaped the fire or the 
sword. But such imposture is to be still more signally realized with ' signs 
and lying wonders 1 before the final coming of Christ (2 Thess. ii, 1-10)." — 
Maclear. 

_ 23, But take ye heed] Do not ye be deluded ; implying that these pre- 
dictions would have a fulfillment in their day. 

24 — 31. The Second Coming of the Lord. 
(Time same as last Section.) 

24. in those days] This verse is explained in two ways; (1) figuratively; 
which limits " those days " to the fall of Jerusalem, and also "that tribula- 
tion " to the same event. Then the rest of the verse is understood to be 
figures, by which national and social revolutions are predicted, and that the 
coming of the Son of man, in v. 26, is an invisible coming as at the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem. (2) The other maybe called theliteral view'; it explains 
" those days " to be the latter days, near the end of the world, and that a 
change in nations and in nature is implied, and a visible coming of the Son 
of man. In regard to the general description in this chapter, Abbott holds 
that there have been more remarkable wars, famines, pestilences, and earth- 
quakes since, than before the fall of Jerusalem, and understands the lan- 
guage to apply to a long period of conflict and trial before the end will 
appear. 

the sun shall be darkened] ' ' The Jews expected that great calamities would 
precede the advent of the Messiah ; yet at the time when these calamities 
should have reached their height, they hoped that he would unexpectedly 
appear. ' ' ^Kuinoel. 

26. shall they see the Son of man] either at the calamities attending the 
fall of Jerusalem, if the figurative view of v. 24 is accepted ; or near the 
end of the world, if the literal view be taken. For the title Son of man, 
see note on ch. ii, 10, and compare John v. 22, 27, "the Father judgeth no 
man, but hath committed all judgment unto the son, and hath given him 
authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." 

in the clouds] so the Angels said to the Apostles at the ascension (Acts i, 



158 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XIII, 27-31. 



Revised Version. 

27 clouds with great power and glory. And 
then shall he send forth the angels, and shall 
gather together his elect from the four winds, 
from the uttermost part of the earth to the 
uttermost part of heaven. 

28 Now from the fig tree learn her parable : 
when her braDch is now become tender, and 
putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the 

29 summer is nigh; evenso yFalso, when ye see 
these things coming to pass, know ye that 

30 1 he is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say 
unto you, This generation shall not pass 
away, until all these things be accomplished. 

31 Heaven and earth shall pass away ; but my 



Authorized Version. 

27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall 
gather together his elect from the four winds, 
from the uttermost part of the earth to the ut- 
termost part of heaven. 

28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree : When 
her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth 
leaves, ye know that summer is near : 

29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see 
these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, 
even at the doors. 

30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation 
shall not pass, till all these things be done. 

31 Heaven and earth shall pass away : but my 
words shall not pass away. 

1 Or, it 

11) ; and Daniel foresaw him coming with the clouds of heaven (Dan. vii, 
13. 14). 

27. then shall he send his angels'] to him God hath delegated' the universal 
and final judgment of mankind, that " as in our nature he performed all that 
was requisite to save us, as in our nature he was exalted to God's right hand, 
to rule and bless us, so he shall in our nature appear to judge us." — Barrow's 
Sermons. 

28. the jig tree] They had already been taught one lesson from the 
withered fig tree. "Our Lord having spoken of the signs preceding the two 
grand events concerning which the apostles inquired (Comp. Matt, xxiv, 
1-30), begins to speak of the time of them." — Wesley. 

29. it is nigh] or "he" i. e. the judge spoken of in verse 26. 

even at the doors] There is no "even" in the original. So James says, 
"Behold, the Judge standeth before the door'''' (James v, 9). "There is 
something solemn in the brevity of the phrase, without the nominative ex- 
pressed. " — Wordsworth. 

30. this generation shall not pass] The word rendered generation de- 
notes (1) birth, age; (2) descent; (3) a generation of men living at the same 
time ; (4) in a wider sense, a nation, or race. The meaning of this passage 
is variously given : Some as Alexander hold that it refers to the Jews then 
living ; others to the Jewish nation ; and still others to the Jews as a people. 
The prophecy certainly cannot be said to have had a complete fulfillment dur- 
ing the lifetime of those living when it was uttered, nor indeed during the 
existence of the Jewish nation. The Jewish people still maintain their 
separateness though scattered widely, and have every prospect of long con- 
tinuance. Geikie interprets the three accounts to mean that "this genera- 
tion of living men shall not have passed away, before the beginning of the 
age of the Messiah, to be ushered in by the fall of Israel, and to be closed 
by all the signs, has come." Maclear and Perowne suggest " (1) In refer- 
ence to the destruction of Jerusalem, he declares that the generation of the 
literal Israel then living would not pass away before the judgments here pre- 
dicted would fall upon Jerusalem, just as God had made their forefathers 
wander in the wilderness " until all the generation was consumed " that had 
come out of Egypt "and done evil in the sight of the Lord" (Num. xxxii, 
13) ; (2) In reference to his second coming, and the world at large, he affirms 
that the race of men, and especially the generation of them that sought the 
Lord (Ps. xxiv, 6), the faithful seed of Abraham, should not pass away until 
all these things should be fulfilled. This is substantially the same idea pre- 
sented by Geikie. 

31. but my words shall not pass away] Never did the speaker seem to 
stand more utterly alone than when he uttered this majestic utterance. Never 



Mark XIII, 32-34.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 159 



Authorized Version. 
But of that day and that hour kuoweth no 



Revised Version. 

32 words shall not pass away. But of that day 
or that hour knoweth no one, not even the 
angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the 

33 Father. Take ye heed, watch x and pray: 

34 for ye know not when the time is. It is as 
ivhen a man, sojourning in another country, 



man, no, not the angels which are in heaven. 
neither the Son, but the Father. 

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know 
not when the time is. 

34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far 
journey, who left his house, and gave authority 

1 Some ancient^,uthorities omit and pray. 

did it seem more improbable that it would be fulfilled. But as we look 
across the centuries we see how it has been realized. His words have passed 
into laws ; they have passed into doctrines ; they have passed into proverbs ; 
they have passed into consolations ; but they have never " passed away." — 
Camb. Bible. 

32—37. Final Exhortation to Watchfulness. 

32. neither the Son] Since the times of the early Fathers until now, 
critics have wrestled with this expression, to find a satisfactory solution, and 
relieve the seeming contradiction between this denial of knowledge and the 
omniscience of the Saviour. (1) Ambrose rejected the clause as an Arian 
interpolation, but this is proved to be unfounded ; the clause is in all the 
ancient MSS. and versions, and it is unlikely the Arians could have tampered 
with them all. (2) Augustine said it meant that it was not a fact which 
Christ had received to tell, as it was not to be known by the disciples ; so 
Luther, Melancthon, the older Lutherans, Porteus, Bengel, and Whitby, sub- 
stantially held. (3) That the Son was not at the time in possession of the 
knowledge (similar to No. 2), as maintained by Lange, or did not know it in 
his Mediatorial office, as Alford suggests ; but Schaff rejects these interpreta- 
tions as u make-shifts." (4) That as the Son of man, in his human nature 
he did not know it; this is the view substantially of Athanasius, Cyril, Chrys- 
ostom, Calvin, Ryle, Alexander, Clarke, J. Pye Smith, Sumner, Da Costa, 
Schaff, and the great majority of later commentators. This last view does 
not remove the real difficulty, though it may be said to relieve it somewhat. 
For as Bishop Sumner aptly remarks, "it is hard to understand, how the 
Son coming in the flesh should divest himself of knowledge which he pos- 
sessed as God, in the same way as, confessedly, he divested himself of im- 
mortality.'" How could he be ignorant of anything, when he asserts "I 
and my Father are one," and it is said by the apostle " In him are hid all 
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge " Col. ii, 3. It is inconsistent and 
unscholarly to attempt an escape from the difficulty by trying to explain 
away the force of the word " know," as Mimpriss and a few others do. It 
must be accepted in its ordinary and plain sense here, as elsewhere. Accept- 
ing the last as the most satisfactory interpretation, we must still confess it is 
a mystery we cannot comprehend ; so Jesus is said to have " increased in 
wisdom" and in stature, Luke ii, 52 ; to have prayed to the Father, Matt, 
xiv, 23 ; xxvi, 39, 42-44, to have received a commandment from the Father, 
John xiv, 31 ; so here he asserts that a fact is hidden from him, and known 
only to the Father ; all these statements reveal some of the mysteries of his 
incarnation which we cannot fully understand now, but may know when we 
see him face to face. 

33. Take ye heed, watch and pray] "Se ye, wake ye, and preie ye." — 
Wyclif. The word rendered "watch" only occurs four times in the New 
Testament: (1) here; (2) in the parallel, Luke xxi, 36; (3) Eph. vi, 18, 
"Praying always... and watching thereunto with all perseverance ;" (4) Heb. 
xiii, 17, " Obey them that have the rule over you, ...for they watch for your 
souls." It denotes (1) to be sleepless, (2) to be vigilant. 

34. taking a far journey'] literally, one toho is absent from his people, 



160 PEOPLE'S COMMENT AEY [MakkXIII,3<UXIV,1. 



Authorized Version. 
to his servants, and to every man his work, and 
commanded the porter to watch. 

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when 
the master of the house cometh, at even, or at 
midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morn- 
ing: 

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, 
Watch. 

/^HAP. XIV.— After two days was the feast of 



Revised Version. 
having left his house, and given authority to 
his l servants, to each one his work, coin- 

35 manded also the porter to watch. Watch 
therefore: for ye know not whenthe lord of 
the house cometh, whether at even, or at 
midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morn- 

36 ing; lest coming suddenly he find you sleep- 

37 ing. And what I say unto you I say unto 
all, Watch. 

14 Now after two days was the feast of the 



Gr. bond-servants. 

who goes on foreign travel. u Which gon fer in pilgrimage." — Wyclif. " Be 
doing something, that the devil may always find you engaged." — Jerome. 
Even so our Lord left his Church, gave authority to his servants the apostles, 
and to those who should come after them, and to every man his work, and 
is now waiting for the consummation of all things. 

the porter] Ellicott suggests that this refers primarily to Peter, and thinks 
it throws light on the porter of the sheepfold, John x, 3. Schaff, Riddle, 
and others suggest that apostles and all ministers and Christians are watch- 
men. This is true, but the parable is intended to teach the duty of watch- 
fulness ; the porter is a part of the " machinery" of the parable, not neces- 
sarily calling for any special application. 

35. at even, or at midnight] On the night watches see ch. vi, 48. In the 
temple the priest, whose duty it was to superintend the night sentinels of the 
Levitical guard, might at any moment knock at the door and demand en- 
trance. " He came suddenly and unexpectedly, no one knew when. The 
Rabbis use almost the very words in which Scripture describes the unex- 
pected coming of the Master, when they say, Sometimes he came at the 
cockcrowing, sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later. He came 
and knocked, and they opened to him." Mishnah, Tamid, i, 1, 2, quoted in 
Edersheim's The Temple and its Services. 

36. Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping] " During the night the 
' captain of the temple' made his rounds. On his approach the guards had 
to rise and salute him in a particular manner. Any guard found asleep when 
on duty was beaten, or his garments were set on fire — a punishment, as we 
know, actually awarded." — Edersheim. 

37. Watch] Observe the emphasis given to Christ's exhortation, 
u Watch V Peter, who had a strong influence on Mark, would seem to 
wish us to notice in spite of frequent warnings that he himself failed to 
watch, and fell. Matthew tells us how the Lord sought to impress these 
lessons of watchfulness and faithfulness still more deeply by the Parables of 
the u ten virgins" (Matt, xxv, 1-13), and the "talents" (Matt, xxv, 14-30), 
and closed all with a picture of the Awful Day, when the Son of man should 
separate all nations one from another as the shepherd divideth his sheep 
from the goats (Matt, xxv, 31-46). — Camb. Bible. 

Practical Suggestions. — "I believe that heaven is real, hell is real, the 
devil is real, God is real. If God did not wish us to speak about heaven, he 
would not have put so much about it in the Bible." — Moody. 
Ch. XIV, 1, 2. — The Sanhedrin in Council. 
Saturday April 1, and Tuesday April 4, A. D. 30. 

1. after two days] There is much difference of opinion among harmon- 
ists in regard to the order of events, noted in this chapter. (1) Robinson 
places the conspiracy of the rulers on the evening following Wednesday, 
which he calls " Thursday eve" (not Thursday night), and fixes the anoint- 
ing also on the same evening ; Judas making his plan known to the priests 



Mark XIV, 1.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



161 



Authorized Version. 
the passover, and of unleavened bread: and 
the chief priests and the scribes sought how 



Revised Version. 
passover and the unleavened bread : and the 
chief priests and the scribes sought how they 



in the course of the day, on Thursday ; while the discourse on the fall of 
Jerusalem and the coming of Christ he places on the day before, i. e. on 
Wednesday, but this seems too late. 

(2) Andrews holds to two consultations by the rulers, one on Saturday 
night, John xii, 10, 11, and the second on the following Tuesday night, noted 
here by Mark xiv, 1, 2, 10, 11, and in Matt, xxvi, 14, 16. The anointing at 
Bethany, he assigns to the previous Saturday night (April 1, A. D. 30), 
Mark xiv, 3-9 ; and places all the other events mentioned in Mark xii, 1, to 
xiv, 2 and xiv, 10, 11, on Tuesday April 4, A. D. 30. He explains this 
transposition of Mark xiv, 3-9, on the ground that Mark (and Matthew) 
bring in the account of the supper at Bethany parenthetically, and to explain 
the action of Judas, who was offended at the waste of so much money, and 
at the rebuke of his Master on that occasion. He identifies the supper in 
Matt, xxvi, 6-13, and Mark xiv, 3-9, with that in John xii, 1-9, as do Dean 
Mansel, Farrar, Ellicott, Canon Cook, Schaff and others, who likewise assign 
it to Saturday night, and the other events to the following Tuesday or possi- 
bly Wednesday, except Farrar, who assigns the proposal of Judas to the 
priests, to Saturday night after the anointing at Bethany, and the conclusion 
of the bargain with the council, to the following Tuesday night. 

(3) Geikie assigns the utterance of the prophecy respecting the fall of 
Jerusalem and the coming of Christ to Tuesday afternoon, 12th of Nisan, 
and the anointing at Bethany, and the conspiracy against Jesus by the rulers, 
and their conference with Judas, to the same night. How Jesus spent Wed- 
nesday, Farrar and Geikie and Canon Cook think we are not informed. 

A large number of commentators also assume that the anointing was on 
Tuesday night, some of them explaining the difficulty in John xii, 1, by sup- 
posing that to be another anointing, and some, that it was the same, and that 
there is a copyist's error in John, or that he refers to the arrival at Bethany 
only, and does not imply that the anointing took place " six days before the 
passover." But if the anointing noticed by John is not the same as this in 
Mark and Matthew, then there were two anointings at the same place, under 
much the same circumstances, only four days apart, which seems very im- 
probable. If they were the same, and yet took place on Tuesday night, the 
apparently precise note of time by John must be explained. This is more 
difficult to do satisfactorily, than it is to explain the transposition in the nar- 
ratives of Mark and Matthew. Hence the order given in No. 2 is the most 
satisfactory. 

The arrival at Bethany from Jericho, is also variously assigned to Sunday, 
10th Nisan, by Luthardt and Strong, to Saturday, 9th Nisan, by Greswelland 
Robinson, to Friday night by Wieseler, Tholuck, Andrews and the most criti- 
cal commentators. Canon Cook observes that from this point to the resurrec- 
tion there is almost a complete and minute agreement in the synoptical narra- 
tives. 

and of unleavened bread'] The Passover was on the 14th of Nisan, and 
the " Feast of unleavened bread " commenced on the 15th and lasted for 
seven days, deriving its name from the Mazzoth, or unleavened cakes, the 
only bread allowed during that week (Exod. xii, 34, 39 ; Deut. xvi, 3). 
From their close connection they are generally treated as one, both in the 
Old and in the New Testament, and Josephus on one occasion, even de- 
scribes it as "a feast for eight days." Jos. Antiq. ii, 15, 1. — Edersheim. 

and the chief priests'] While our Lord was in quiet retirement at Bethany 



162 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark XIV, 2, 3. 



Authorized Version. 
they might take him by craft, and put Mm to 
death. 

2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there 
be an uproar of the people. 

3 And being in Bethany, in the house of Si- 
mon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a 



Revised Version. 
might take him with subtilty, and kill him: 

2 for they said, Not during the feast, lest haply 
there shall be a tumult of the people. 

3 And while he was in Bethany in tbe house 
of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there 



the rulers in the court of the palace of Caiaphas (Matt, xxvi, 3), consulted 
how they could put him to death. There was a great crowd at the passover 
at Jerusalem, and that would make it prudent for the rulers to avoid excit- 
ing a tumult. 

by craft] by stratagem, deceit, or fraud ; they dared not arrest him 
openly, because of the people. 

2. Not on the feast day] See R. V. Their plan was to do it immediately 
after the feast, when the crowd would be gone, but Judas probably changed 
their plan. 

3 — 9. Simon's Feast and the Anointing by Mart. 
(Saturday eve following the Jewish Sabbath, April 1st, A. D. 30. ) 

3. And being in Bethany] This anointing is related by Matthew, Mark 
and John. The anointing narrated in Luke vii, 36-50, though held to be 
the same by the Romanists, was undoubtedly different, for it was at the 
house of " Simon " the Pharisee, probably at Capernaum, while this was at 
the house of Simon a leper, in Bethany. Some, as Theophylact and Light- 
foot, suppose that the supper mentioned in John is a different one from 
that in Matthew and Mark, but without sufficient grounds, for as Robinson 
observes, the identity of circumstances is too great, and the alleged differ- 
ences too few to support the conjecture. Matthew and Mark say the woman 
anointed his head ; John, his feet, but neither excludes the other; and John 
speaks of Lazarus as one of those who reclined at the table, showing that he 
was a guest ; hence, the supper may have been at the house of Simon, as the 
other gospels state. The conjecture that Simon owned the house, and that 
Lazarus was his tenant, the house being occupied by both, is more ingenious 
than probable. The anointing was on the evening following Saturday — the 
Jewish sabbath. It took place after sunset, at which time the sabbath ended. 
The evangelist Mark, on this view, goes back to narrate the anointing, and 
connect it with the offer of Judas to betray Jesus. Some conjecture that 
Judas made a similar offer to the rulers at an earlier date. 

Simon the leper] and possibly one who had been cured by our Lord. He 
was probably a near friend or relation of Lazarus. Some conjecture that he 
was his brother, others that he was the husband of Mary. 

as he sat at meat] We learn from John that Martha served at the feast 
while Lazarus reclined at the table as one of the guests. " Nothing can be 
more natural and easy," says Alexander, "than the introduction of this inci- 
dent at this point, both by Mark and Matthew. The attempt to represent it as 
at variance with the chronology of John xii, 1, being altogether groundless, 
as the six days there relate to his arrival in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, 
and the two days here to his preparation for the paschal service. Equally 
groundless is the notion entertained by some, that the passages describe 
two different anointings." 

there came a woman] John says her name was Mary, probably the sister 
of Martha, and of Lazarus. The name of the woman who was a sinner, and 
anointed Jesus at the house of Simon the Pharisee, is not given, so that the 
Romanist writers have no ground for identifying her with Mary of Bethany, 
or for regarding the anointing at Bethany as the same as the one described 
in Luke vii, 36—50. 



Mark XIV, 4.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



163 



Authorized Version. 
woman having an alabaster box of ointment of 
spikenard very precious ; and she brake the box, 
and poured it on his head. 

4 And there were some that had indignation 
within themselves, and said, Why was thus waste 
of the ointment made ? 



Revised Version. 
came a woman having 1 an alabaster cruse of 
ointment of 2 spikenard very costly ; and she 
brake the cruse and poured it over his head. 
4 But there were some that had indignation 
among themselves, sg.yi)ig, To what purpose 
hath this waste of the ointment been made ? 



Others take it to mean genu- 




1 Or, a flask 2 Gr. pisdc nard, pistic being perhaps a local name. 
ine; others, liquid. 

having an alabaster box] " box " is not expressed in the Greek. At Ala- 
bastron in Egypt there was a manufactory of small cruses or vases for hold- 
ing perfumes, which were made from a stone found in the neighboring moun- 
tains. The Greeks called these 
vases after the city from which 
they came, alabastrons. This 
name was eventually extended 
to the stone of which they were 
formed, and at length the term 
alabaster was applied without 
distinction to all perfume vessels, 
of whatever materials they con- 
sisted. 

of ointment of spikenard'] Or, 
of pure {or pistic) nard or liquid 
nard. See R. V. and margin for 
various renderings of this phrase. 
The American revisers prefer 
the reading "pure nard, " and 
would omit the marginal read- 
ings ; and so in John xii, 3. 
Pure or genuine seems to yield 
alabaster vases. the best meaning, as opposed to 

the psuedo-nardus, for the spikenard was often adulterated. Pliny, Nat. 
Hist, xii, 26. It was drawn from an Indian plant, brought down in consider- 
able quantities into the plains of India from such mountains as Shalma, Ke- 
dar Kanta, and others, at the foot of which flow the Ganges and Jumna rivers. 
very precious] It was among the costliest anointing oils of antiquity, and 
was sold throughout the Roman Empire, where it fetched a price that put it 
beyond any but the wealthy. Mary had bought a vase or flask of it contain- 
ing twelve ounces (John xii, 3). Of the costliness of the ointment we may 
form some idea by remembering that it was among the gifts sent by Cam- 
byses to the Ethiopians (Herod iii, 20), and that Horace promises Virgil a 
whole cadus (= 36 quarts nearly) of wine, for a small onyx box of spikenard 
(Carm. iv, xii, 16, 17 ).=^Maclear. 

brake the box] ' ' The Greek word implies not so much the breaking of 
the neck of the costly jar or flask, but the crushing it in its entirety with both 
her hands." — Ellicott. Others, however, regard it as meaning that she broke 
the seal (as Burder), or the small neck of the flask. See Schaff, Perowne and 
Bloomfield. "To anoint the feet of the greatest monarch was long un- 
known, and in all the pomps and greatnesses of the Roman prodigality, it 
was not used till Otho taught it to Nero." — Jeremy Taylor's Life of Christ, 
iii, 13. 

4. there were some] The murmuring may have begun with Judas Iscariot, 
John xii, 4, and infected some of the others, or the feeling may have been a 
general one, and giving expression to it may have inflamed the feelings of 



164 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Makk XIV, 5-9. 



Authorized Version. 

5 For it might have been sold for more than 
three hundred pence, and have been given to 
the poor. And they murmured against her. 

6 And Jesus said, Let her alone ; why trouble 
ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 

7 For ye have the poor with you always, and 
whensoever ye will ye may do them good : but 
me ye have not always. 

8 She hath done what she could : she is come 
aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 

9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this 
gospel shall be preached throughout the whole 
world, this also that she hath done shall be 
spoken of for a memorial of her. 



Revised Version. • 

5 For this ointment might have been sold for 
above three hundred 3 pence, and given to 
the poor. And they murmured against her. 

6 But Jesus said, Let her alone ; why trouble 
ye her? she hath wrought a good work on 

7 me. For ye have the poor always with you, 
and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: 

8 but me ye have not always. She hath done 
what she could: she hath anointed my body 

9 aforehand for the burying. And verily I say 
unto you, "Wheresoever the gospel shall be 
preached throughout the whole world, that 
also which this woman hath done shall be 
spoken of for a memorial of her. 



1 See marginal note on Matt, xviii, 28, [quoted on p. 82.] 

others to a greater degree. So Mark's account implies. The objection may- 
have been a hollow pretence on the part of Judas, while some others may- 
have honestly felt that it was not a wise expenditure. 

This waste] literally "loss" or "perdition." " But thou Judas, art the 
son of perdition." — Bengel. The objection was not that the use was luxuri- 
ous and sinful, though this may possibly be implied, but that the value of the 
ointment might have been better spent in relieving the suffering poor. 

5. for more than three hundred pence] i. e. for more than 300 denarii, 
equal to about $50. To Judas it was intolerable that there should be such 
an utter waste of money. It may have been his office to give to the poor, 
from their common fund. See the additional remark in John xii, 6. 

they murmured] Wyclif renders it here " thei groyneden in to hir." De 
Wette, "they scolded her." The word "expresses a passionate feeling, 
which we strive to keep back in utterance." " Mark, without a doubt, pre- 
sents here the most accurate historic picture ; John defines most sharply the 
motive ; Matthew gives the especially practical historic form." — Lange. 

6. wrought a good work] any sacrifice and expense truly made for the 
Lord is not extravagance, but a "good work." 

7. poor with you always] Those who talk much about the poor will have 
constant opportunities to do much for them. Let them do, as well as talk. 
Lightfoot conjectures that the Jews thought there would be no poor in the 
days of the Messiah 

ye may do them good] To the papist argument (from this verse) in favor 
of the use of incense, tapers, and immoderate expense in a showy and pom- 
pous worship Calvin ingeniously if not forcibly answers, that Christ plainly 
makes this an exception and impliedly forbids its repetition as not agreeable 
to him, but rather desires us to bestow on the poor what superstition fool- 
ishly expends in the worship of G-od. The verse suggests, as Schaff ob- 
serves, that under no reorganization of society will poverty be banished from 
the earth. 

8. she is come aforehand] See R. V. The word thus rendered only 
occurs three times in the New Testament. (1) Here ; (2) 1 Cor. xi, 21 ; (3) 
Gal. vi, 1. It denotes (1) to take beforehand-, (2) to take before another ; 
(3) to outstrip, get the start of, anticipate. 

what she could] "Blessed are they of whom the Saviour will say, They 
have done what they could !" — Jacobus. Literally it reads, "what she had, 
she did." Of how few could Jesus say this now ! 

9. gospel shall be preached] Christ and the world have widely different 
estimates of conduct. The world has utilitarian views. How useful the 
value of this ointment ! It would do so much good for the poor ! So the 
world raves about missions, when " all is needed at home." " What does it 



Ma*k XIV, 10-12.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 165 

Authorized Version". Revised Version". 

10 And Judas Iscariot. one of the twelve, went 10 And Judas Iscariot. x he that wasone of 



unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 

11 And when they heard it. they were glad. 
and promised to give him money. And he sought 
how he might conveniently betray him. 

12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when 



the twelve, went away unto the chief priests, 

11 that he might deliver him unto them. And 
they, when they heard it, were glad, and 
promised to give him money. And he sought 
how he might conveniently deliver him unto 
them. 

12 And on the first day of unleavened bread 

1 Gr. the one of the twelve. 

give of love to the poor?" asks Dr. John Hall, "The supporters of foreign 
missions are almost the only helpers of the poor at home."' And thus is this 
prophecy fulfilled by gospel missions the world over. From the omission 
of this incident by Luke. Alford draws an argument in favor of the indepen- 
dence of the gospel records. 

10, 11. Judas with the Chief Priests. 
Tuesday April 1, A. D. 30 (? ). 

10. And Judas Iscariot] Three causes, if we may conjecture anything 
on a subject so full of mystery, would seem to have brought about his pre- 
sent state of mind: (1) avarice; {2) disappointment of his carnal hopes; 
< 3 a withering of internal religion. The reason for going at this time, is 
not as obvious from Mark's narrative alone, as from all the accounts com- 
bined. Judas was doubtless angered by the reproof of Jesus in the case of 
the ointment, and smarting under the reproach, carried into effect thoughts 
long brooding in his mind. 

t unto the chief priests'] he repaired from Bethany to Jerusalem, pro- 
bably by night, and being admitted into the council of the chief priests pro- 
poses to betray his master into their hands. 

11. they were glad] his proposal filled them with joy. Mark notices 
that they were glad, but does not give the price offered. 

and promised] He had made his venture, and accepted what they offered. 
Thirty pieces of silver Matt. xxvi. 15'. the price of a slave i.Exod. xxi. 32), 
were equivalent to 120 denarii, about $18 or $19 of our money. At this time 
the ordinary wages for a day's labor was one denarius : so that the whole 
sum amounted to about four months' wages of a day laborer. 

conveniently] The arrest must be made quietly, therefore when he had but 
few of his friends about him : when he was alone with the twelve. Judas 
doubtless knew just when such an opportunity would occur. 
12 — 31. Passover axd the Last Supper. 
Thursday eve, 14th Xisan, 783, April 6th, (?) A. D. 30. 

12. the frst day of unleavened bread] "Wednesday would seem to have 
been spent by our Lord at Bethany. That night he slept at Bethany for the 
last time on earth. "On the Thursday morning he awoke never to sleep 
again." — Fhrrar* 

* Bate of the Lord's Supper] The two leading theories are : (1) that it was on the evening follewing 
the 11th of Xisan: the regular and legal time for eating the passover ; (2) that it was on the eve fol- 
lowing the 13th of Nisan, and therefore that the Friday on which Christ was crucified was the 
11th ; hence, the legal passover would be eaten upon the evening of the day of crucifixion. This 
view would place the last supper on the day previous to the legal time for the passover. Robinson 
maintains the first view. See English Harmony, pp. 200 — 205, and thinks that the term 'passover' 
sometimes means the whole paschal festival or feast, and to il eat the passover." may mean to 
keep the paschal festival. His view relieves the difficulty of John xiii, 1. 2. and xviii, 2S, and 
is concurred in by many scholars, ac. Davidson, Fairbairn, Gardiner, Lange, Lewin, Lightfoot, 
Milligan. Norton, ULshausen, Srier, Tholuck. Wieseler. Bochart, Hengstenberg. Andrews, Geikie 
and Schaff. The latter theory that Jesus and his disciples partook of a substitute for the passover 
upon the day previous, that is, anticipated it by one day. is accepted, by Bleek, De Wette, Ebrard, 
Ellicott, Erasmus, Ewald, Grotius ; Ltlcke, ileyer, Neanler, Teschendorf, Westcott, Winer, Alford, 



166 



people's commentary 



[Mark XIV, i3. 



Authorized Version. 
they killed the passover, his disciples said unto 
him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare 
that thou mayest eat the passover ? 
13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 
and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and 
there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of 
water: follow him. 



Revised Version. 
when they sacrificed the passover, his disci- 
ples say unto him, Where wilt thou that we 
go and make ready that thou mayest eat the 
13 passover ? And he sendeth two of his disci- 
ples, and saith unto them, Go into the city, 
and there shall meet you a man bearing a 



when they killed the passover] i.e. the Paschal victim. Compare Luke xxii, 
7 ; 1 Cor. v. 7. The name of the Passover, in Hebrew Pesach, and in Aramaean 
and Greek Pascha, is derived from a root which means to "step over," or to 
" overleap," and thus points back to the historical origin of the Festival. "And 
when I see the blood, I will pass over you and the plague shall not be upon 
you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt" (Exodus xii, 13). This 
is the common view respecting the word u Passover," but is it the correct 
one ? Compare the Hebrew of Isaiah xxxi, 5, with that of Exod. xii, 23. 
These passages imply, according to Lowth and Ryle, that there are two 
agents — the destroying angel passing through to smite, and Jehovah ' 'spring- 
ing forward" (not passing over) to defend the house marked with blood. 
In this interpretation Jehovah opposes himself to the destroyer as a protector, 
and saves the house. 

Where wilt thou] Thursday morning the disciples came to our Lord for 
instructions as to the passover. " They may have expected that he would eat 
it at Bethany, for the village was reckoned, as regards religious purposes, part 
of Jerusalem by the Rabbis, and the lamb might be eaten there, though it 
must be killed at the Temple." — Lightfoot. Hor. Heb. 

that we go and prepare] The lamb would have been bought on the 10th 
of Nisan, according to the rule of the Law (Exod. xii, 3), the very day on 
which he, the true paschal Lamb, entered Jerusalem in meek triumph. Of 
the method of killing the paschal lamb, Starke writes : " A crowd of Israel- 
ites were received into the court, the gates were shut, the trumpets sounded. 
The householders slew their lambs. The priests formed a row, which ex- 
tended to the altar, received the blood in silver basins, which they passed on 
one from another, and those who stood nearest the altar poured it out at its 
feet, whence it flowed subterraneously into the brook Kedron. The house- 
holder lifted the slain lamb to a hook on the willow, took off its skin, and 
removed the fat. This last the priest burned on the altar. The householder 
uttered a prayer, and carried the lamb to his house, bound in its skin. The 
head of the house, where the feast was held, received the skin. When the 
first crowd departed another followed, and so on." 

13. he sendeth forth two of his disciples] The apostles Peter and John, 
Luke xxii, 8. Alford finds in this verse a proof that Mark did not write his 
gospel under the superintendence of Peter, else he would have given the 
names of the two disciples, and not have omitted the other fact, that Jesus 
first gave the command to prepare the passover. But the first omission 
seems rather in harmony with the Petrine theory, as it might be due to 
Peter's desire not to make himself unnecessarily prominent. 

a man] It was generally the task of women to carry water. Among the 
thousands at Jerusalem they would notice this man carrying an earthern jar 



Mansel and Farrar. Either view is attended with difficulties, but the first has, on the whole, the 
less serious ones, and is in accord with the more natural meaning of the language in the various 
accounts. The first three gospels certainly give the impression that the supper was instituted dur- 
ing the passover feast at the regular time, and Christ who came to fulfill the law, would hardly 
hare violated it in this case, nor would he probably have been permitted so to do, by having the 
lamb slain in the temple, as tradition says was the custom at that time. Hence, the chronology 
followed in these notes, assigns it to Thursday eve, 14th Nisan, 783, or April 6th, (?) A.D. 30. 



Mark XfV, 14-16.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



167 



Revised Version. 

14 pitcher of water: follow Mm; and whereso« 
ever lie shall enter in, say to the goodman of 
the house, The 1 Master saith, Where is my 
guest-chamber, where I shall eat the pass- 

15 over with my disciples ? And he will him- 
self shew you a large upper room furnished 
and ready: and there make ready for us. 

16 And the disciples went forth, and came into 
the city, and found as he had said unto them: 
and they made ready the passover. 




EARTHEN WATER PITCHERS. 



Authorized Version. 

14 And wheresover he shall go in, say ye to the 
goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where 
is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the pass- 
over with my disciples? 

15 And he will shew you a large upper room 
furnished and prepared : there make ready for 
us. 

16 And his disciples went forth, and came into 
the city, and found as he had said unto them: 
and they made ready the passover. 

f * Or, Teacher 

of water drawn from one of the foun- 
tains. We need not conclude, because 
it was a slave's employment to do this 
(Deut. xxix, 11 ; Josh, ix, 21), that he 
was a slave. The apostles were to fol- 
low him to whatever house he entered. 

14. say ye to the goodman of the 
house] Some conjecture thatthe owner 
of the house was a disciple; see Bengel. 
1 'A disciple but not one of the twelve 
but the word rendered "guest-cham- 
ber " is also rendered " inn " in Luke 
ii, 7, and was apparently a generic 
term for hired lodging. Lightfoot 
says lodgings were free at Jerusalem 
during the passover, but Rosenmiiller 
holds it to be certain that during the feast the Jerusalemites hired out rooms 
furnished for visitors to the passover. Hence there is no call for the inge- 
nious guesses that he was Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathaea, or John Mark ; 
for the gospels and traditions alike are silent. "Universal hospitality pre- 
vailed in this matter, and the only recompense that could be given was the 
skin of the paschal lamb, and the earthen dishes used at the meal." — Geikie. 

the guestchamber] curiously translated by Wyclif, "my fulfilling, or etyng 
place." Comp. R. V. It was common for those in Jerusalem to furnish or 
rent rooms, and make preparations for other Jews, not residents of the city, 
who came to keep the passover. 

15. a large upper room furnished and prepared] "a greet souping place 
strewid." — Wyclif. Furnished implies that it was provided with couches, 
as the custom of reclining at meals required, and prepared implies special 
arrangements for the Passover, as searching for, and putting away every 
particle of leaven (1 Cor. v, 7), which was done with a lighted candle, and 
also getting ready the lamb, herbs, wine, bread, etc. 

16. they made ready the passover] This preparation would include the 
provision of the unleavened cakes, of the bitter herbs, the four or five cups 
of red wine mixed with water, of everything, in short, necessary for the meal. 
The Passover was celebrated among the Jews in the time of our Lord : (1) 
By eating two or three flat cakes of unleavened bread (Exod. xii, 18), and by 
a succession of four cups of red wine always mixed with water (Ps. xvi, 5, 
xxiii, 5, cxvi, 13). These were placed before the master of the house where 
the paschal feast was celebrated, or before the most eminent guest, who was 
called the celebrant, the president, or proclaimer of the feast. (2) After those 
assembled had reclined, he took one of the four cups, known as the " cup 
of consecration," in his right hand, and pronounced the benediction over 
the wine and the feast, saying, " Blessed be Thou, Jehovah, our God, Thou 



168 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XIV, 17, 18. 



Revised Version. 

17 And when it was evening he cometh with 

18 the twelve. And as they * sat and were eat- 
ing, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One 



Authorized Version. 

17 And in the evening he cometh with the 
twelve. 

18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, 
1 Gr. reclined. 

King of the universe, Who hast created the fruit of the vine." He then 
tasted the cup and passed it round. (3) Water was then brought in, and he 
washed, followed by the rest, the hands being dipped in water. (4) The 
table was then set out with bitter herbs, such as lettuce, endive, succory, and 
horehound, the sauce called charoseth, and the passover lamb. (5) The 
celebrant then once more blessed God for the fruits of the earth, and taking 
a portion of the bitter herbs, dipped it in the charoseth, and ate a piece of 
it of "the size of an olive," and his example was followed by the rest. (6) 
The Haggadah or ''shewing forth" (1 Cor. xi, 26) now commenced, and 
the celebrant declared the circumstances of the delivery from Egypt, as com- 
manded by the Law (Exod. xii, 27, xiii, 8). (7) Then the second cup of wine 
was filled, and a child or proselyte inquired, " What mean ye by this service V 
(Exod. xii, 26), to which reply was made according to a prescribed formula 
or liturgy. The first part of the "Hallel," Psalms cxiii, cxiv, was then sung, 
and the second cup was solemnly drunk. (8) The celebrant now washed 
his hands again, and taking two of the unleavened cakes, broke one of them, 
and pronounced the thanksgiving in these words, ' ' Blessed be Thou, Lord 
our God, Thou King of the universe, Who bringest forth fruit out of the 
earth." Then he distributed a portion to each, and all wrapping some bitter 
herbs round their portion, dipped it in the charoseth and ate it. (9) The flesh 
of the lamb was now eaten, and the Master of the house, lifting up his hands, 
gave thanks over the third cup of wine, known as the " cup of blessing," 
and handed it round to each person. (10) After thanks for the food of 
which they had partaken, and for their redemption from Egypt, a fourth cup, 
known as the "cup of joy," was filled and drunk, and the remainder of the 
Hallel (Ps. cxv-cxviii,) was sung. See Buxtorf, de Coena Domini; Light- 
foot, Temple Service: Edersheim. The passover meal proper began with the 
second cup, and ended with the third. 

17. evening] "It was probably while the sun was beginning to decline in 
the horizon, that Jesus and the disciples descended once more over the Mount 
of Olives into the Holy City. Before them lay Jerusalem in her festive attire. 
White tents dotted the sward, gay with the bright flowers of early spring, or 
peered out from the gardens and the darker foliage of the olive plantations. 
From the gorgeous Temple buildings, dazzling in their snow-white marble 
and gold, on which the slanting rays of the sun were reflected, rose tl i 
smoke of the altar of burnt offering.... The streets must have been thronged 
with strangers, and the flat roofs covered with eager gazers, who either feasted 
their eyes with a first sight of the Sacred City, for which they had so often 
longed, or else once more rejoiced in view of the well-remembered localities. 
It was the last day- view which the Lord had of the Holy City — till His resur- 
rection ! ' ' — Edersheim. 

he cometh with the twelve'] Judas must have stolen back to Bethany before 
daylight, and another day of hypocrisy had been spent under the penetrating 
glance of him who could read the hearts of men. — Maclear. 

18. And as they sat] grouping together the four narratives, which, as 
they approach the Passion, expand into the fullness of a diary, we infer that 
(1) when the little company had taken their places on the triclinia, the 
Saviour, as celebrant or proclaimer of the feast, remarking that with desire 
he had desired to eat this passover before he suffered, took the first cup 
and divided it among them (Luke xxii, 15-18). (2) Then followed the un* 




Plans of Ancient Jerusalem. 



The five plans given above indicate the views of some 
Of the best authorities in regard to the topography of 
ancient Jerusalem. 

The first wall enclosed the old part of the town, or 
" upper city," upon Mount Zion, and extending to the 
Iralls of the temple-enclosure. 

The second wall enclosed the old suburb, or " lower 
city," upon Acra. The plan of Sepp (Roman Catho- 
lic) puts the site of the present church of the Holy 
Sepulchre outside that wall, in accordance with the 
traditional view. The other plans include that site 
within the second wall, in which case it cannot have 
been the place of the crucifixion, which took place 
•utside of the city. 



The third wall was built by Agrippa, eleven years 
after the death of Christ. 

Date of plans: Robinson, 1841-1856; Sepp, 1873; 
Tobler, 1849-1858; Schick, 1876; Conder, 1879. 

For the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as the genuine 
Calvary are : De Vogue, De Saulcy, Sepp (Roman 
Catholic), Williams, Ritter. Krafft, Schultz, Strauss 
(Protestants) ; also Furrer, in Schenkel's Bibellexikon 
ii. 506. 

Against the traditional view : Robinson, Tobler, John 
Wilson, Thompson, Barclay, Bonar, Fergusson, Porter, 
Van de Velde, Meyer, Ewald (all Protestants) ; also 
Schaff, Through Bible Lands, p. 259, aid Conder, in 
Handbook of the Bible, p. 350. 



1?0 



People's COMMENTARY 



[Mark XIV, 19-21 



Revised Version. 
»f you shall betray me, even he that eateth 

19 with me. They began to be sorrowful, and 

20 to say unto him, one by one, Is it I ? And he 
said unto them, It is one of the twelve, he 

21 that dippeth with me in the dish. For the 
Son of man goeth, even as it is written of 
him: but woe unto that man through whom 
the Son of man is betrayed ! good were it 
1 for that man if he had not been bora. 



Authorized Version. 
Verily I say unto you, one of you which eateth 
with me shall betray me. 

19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say 
unto him one by one, Is it I ? and another said, 
Is it I? 

20 And he answered and said unto them, It is 
one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the 
dish. 

21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written 
of him : but woe to that man by whom the Son 
of man is betrayed ! good were it for that man 
if he had never been born. 

1 Gr. for him if that man. 

seemly dispute touching priority (Luke xxii, 24-30), to correct which (3) he 
washed his disciples' feet (John xiii, 1-11). (4) Then the meal was re- 
sumed and he reclined once more at the table (John xiii, 12), the beloved 
disciple lying on his right. 

one of you which eateth with me shall betray me] See R. V. He had al- 
ready said, after washing their feet, " now ye are clean, but not alV (John 
xiii, 10), but at this moment the consciousness of the traitor's presence so 
wrought upon him (John xiii, 21), that he broke forth into words of yet 
plainer prediction. Now he declares it to be one of the twelve, for that is 
the plainest meaning of the phrase. 

19. they began to be sorrowful] the very thought of treason was to their 
honest and faithful hearts insupportable, and excited great surprise and 
deepest sorrow. 

Is it I?] " Surely it cannot be I," Meyer ; or " It is not I, is it?" Alexan- 
der. None of them said "Is it hef so utterly unconscious were they of 
the treachery that lurked in their midst. Notice that the repetition at the 
end of the verse found in the A. Wis omitted by many authorities, and also 
by the R. V. 

20. he answered and said unto them] "Answered" is omitted in the best 
MSS. See R. V. The intimation was made privately to John, to whom 
Peter had made a sign that he should ask who could be so base as to betray 
their master (John xiii, 23-26). 

one of the twelve] One of his own "familiar friends" (Ps. xli, 9). 

that dippeth with me] " He who is just about to dip with me a piece of the 
unleavened cakes into the charoseth" — a sauce consisting of a mixture of 
vinegar, figs, dates, almonds, and spice, provided at the passover — "and to 
whom I shall give some of it presently " (John xiii, 26). " To this day, at the 
summit of Grerizim, the Samaritans, on the occasion of the Passover, hand to 
the stranger a little olive- shaped morsel of unleavened bread enclosing a 
green fragment of wild endive or some other bitter herb, which may resemble, 
except that it is not dipped in the dish, the very ' sop ' which Judas received 
at the hands of Christ. ' ' — Farrar. Alford and others hold, however, that this 
is simply another form of stating that it was one of his nearest and most 
trusted friends, one who was eating with him (as in v. 18), who would betray 
him, but does not mean that the betrayer was at that moment dipping into the 
dish with him. This would satisfy the force of the Greek word. This act, 
on this viaw, would not definitely point out Judas as the traitor ; it would 
lead the others however, to conclude who was meant. 

21. woe to that man] The intimation just given was uttered privately, for 
the ear of John alone, and through him was possibly made known to Peter ; 
but the incident was of so ordinary a character, that it would fail to 
attract any notice whatever, and could only be a sign to the apostle of love. 
Then aloud, as we may believe, Christ uttered his final warning to the 



Mark XIY, 22.] OS THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 171 

Attthobizbd Yeksio>\ l Eevised Version. 

22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and 22 And as they were earing, he took * bread, 
blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, I and when he had blessed, he brake it, and 
Take, eat : this is my body. I gave to them, and said, Take ye : this is my 

> Or, a loaf 

traitor, and pronounced words of immeasurable woe on him by whom he was 
about to be betrayed. " It were good for' that man if he had never been born." 
But the last appeal had no effect upon him. " Rabbi, is it IV he inquired. 
" Thouhast said," replied the Saviour, and gave him " the sop," and Satan 
entered into him. as John tells us (xiii, 27). " That thoudoest, do quickly ," 
the Saviour continued ; and the traitor arose and went forth, and it teas night 
(John xiii, 27-30). "Whether Judas was present at the institution of the Lord's 
Supper is a disputed question. According to John xiii, 30, he retired imme- 
diately after the sop was given him, and was not present.* 

22. And as they did eat] assuming that Judas left ; after his departure, 
the Saviour, as though relieved of a heavy load, broke forth into words of 
mysterious triumph (John xiii, 31-35), and then, as the meal went on, pro- 
ceeded to institute the Lord's Supper. Some accept the order of Luke, and 
in that case Judas was present at the supper. 

Jesus took bread] that is, one of the unleavened cakes that had been placed 
before him as the proclaimer of the feast. 

and blessed] giving thanks and pronouncing the consecration, probably in 
the usual words, see above, verse 16. " Eat " is omitted in R. V., in accord 
with the best authorities and MSS. 

this is my body] Luke adds, "which is being (or on the point of being) 
given for you;" Paul (1 Cor. xi, 24) " which is being (or on the point of be- 
ing) broken for you" while both add, " do this in remembrance of me." In 
the Greek, the pronoun for "this " is not of the same gender as "bread •" 
hence, some infer that it cannot refer to bread. The words are interpreted 
(a) literally by (1) the Romanists, who claim that the substance of the bread 
in the Lord's Supper is changed to the real flesh of our Lord. This view is 
called transubstantiation. (2) The Lutheran, which declares that the body 
of Christ is present in, with, and under the bread. This view is called con- 
substantiation, (b) Others interpret the word in a figurative, or in 
a symbolical sense, as (1) the Zwinglian view, which holds that the 
Lord's Supper is a memorial service only; (2) The Calvinistic view, which 
affirms the spiritual presence of Christ in the supper, against the literal view 
of the Romanists, and in distinction from the real presence view of the 
Lutherans. The reformed churches hold (1) that the Lord's Supper is a com- 
memorative ordinance and feast, wherein believers truly, though spiritually, 
receive Christ with all his benefits, and commune with one another as mem- 
bers of the body of Christ. The reformed churches also understand the 

* Judas not present. — Was Judas present at the institution of the Lord's Supper, or not? This 
question has been much discussed, and commentators are divided in their answers. That he was 
present is favored by Jerome, Augustine, Chrysostom, the two Cyrils, Theodore t, Bellanrxne, Mal- 
donatus, Gerhard, Beza, Bucer, Lightfoot, Bengel, Stier, Alford, and most of the Lutherans. 
Among those holding that he was not present.are Myer, Tischendorf, Robinson, Lichtenstcin, Bu- 
cher, Ebrard, Lange, Wieseler, Regginbach. Ellicott, Schaff (though he regards it as possible that 
Judas was present at the distribution of the bread only), Geikie, and Andrews. Calvin and Far- 
rar are undecided. If Judas was present, the institution of the supper in John's account must 
apparently be inserted between verses 20 and 21 of John xiii, and the order of Matthew and Mark 
must be explained. This is very awkward and difficult. The presence of Judas is inferred chiefly 
from Luke's account, but Luke's order is obviously not exact in other respects; for example, 
washing the disciples' feet. The statement in the A. V., " supper being ended," in John xiii, 2, 
is a mistranslation. See R. V., which reads, " during supper." If Judas left before the institu- 
tion of the supper, the order of Matthew and Mark can be observed, and in John's account it 
would follow verse 32., which is much less awkward, and this arrangement accords with the order 
prescribed for the paschal supper in the Talmud. 



172 



people's commentary 



[Mark XIV, 23-26. 



Authorized Version. 

23 And he took the cup, and when he had given 
thanks, he gave it to them : and they all drank 
of it. 

24 And he said unto them, This is my hlood of 
the new testament, which is shed for many. 

25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more 
of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I 
drink it new in the kingdom of God. 

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went 
out into the mount of Olives. 



Revised Version. 

23 body. And he took a cup, and when he had 
given thanks, he gave to them : and they all 

24 drank of it. And he said unto them, This is 
my blood of x the 2 covenant which is shed 

25 for many. Verily I say unto you, I will no 
more drink of the fruit of the vine until that 
day when I drink it new in the kingdom of 
God. 

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they 
went out unto the mount of Olives. 



1 Or, the testament 2 Some ancient authorities insert new. 

phrase to mean, " This represents my body." Similar usage is frequent in 
the Bible, and especially in the New Testament. " The seven good kine are 
seven years" (Gen. xli, 26); that is, they signified or represented seven 
years. " The good seed are the children," etc. (Matt, xiii, 38). "I am the 
door" (John x, 9). "I am the vine" (John xv, 1). "That rock was 
Christ" (1 Cor. x, 4). If, as Wordsworth suggests, " the bread was literally 
changed into Christ's human body, the disciples were to take and eat it, and 
that body was standing before them and gave them what they did eat, and 
remained with them visible and entire after they had eaten, and afterwards 
died on the cross. ' ' Again, if it be said that ' ' Christ' s body is now a spiritual 
body, and that, therefore, what could not be then, can be now ;" this is to 
deny, as Howe remarks, "that the apostles at that time partook of the real 
sacrament; we must, therefore, admit a figure of speech, and this compels us 
to accept substantially the interpretation of the reformed churches." 

23. he took the cup] possibly the third cup, and known as the "cup of 
blessing." See above, verse 16. But it is quite uncertain, and indeed unim- 
portant, whether it was the third, or some other of the four cups used in the 
passover. There has been much discussion in regard to the " wine " used by 
our Lord, and the question is not settled. Some of those holding total absti- 
nence views, insist that it was the unfermented juice of the grape. Other 
equally strong and sincere temperance advocates believe it was what is gen- 
erally called wine, the fermented grape juice. The learned Arabic scholar, 
Dr. Van Dyck, after thirty years' residence in Syria, declares that he has 
never heard of wine preserved unfermented... they could not keep grape juice 
unfermented if they would; it would either become wine or vinegar in a few 
days. At the passover only fermented wine is used... they have no idea of 
any other. Dr. Post, for twenty- five years a professor in Beirut, gives similar 
testimony. The " dibs " of grapes is a thick paste, not a drink. 

24. This is my blood of the new testament] The R. V. reads "cove- 
nant," which is better than "testament," though neither word exhausts the 
meaning of the Greek. Some of the best MSS. here omit "new," as in the 
R. V. He reminds them of the old covenant also made in blood with their 
fathers in the wilderness (Exod. xxiv, 8). 

which is shed for many] i. e., which is being {or on the point of being) shed 
for many. Matthew (xxvi, 28) adds, " for the remission of sins ; " Paul adds 
(1 Cor. xi, 25), " This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance ofme.' 1 '' 
Thus did our Lord ordain bread and wine to be the ' ' outward part ' ' or 
"sign" of the ordinance of our Redemption by his death. The order of 
events at this last passover is given by Robinson : (1) Jesus and the disciples 
taking their places at the table ; (2) the contention ; (3) the first cup ; (4) 
washing the disciples' feet and reproof; (5) pointing out the traitor ; (6) fore- 
telling Peter's denial; (7) institution of the supper. See also under verse 18. 

26. when they had sung an hymn] that is, the concluding portion of the 
Hallel. See above, note on verse 16. 



MArk XIV, 27-32.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 173 



Authorized Version. 

27 And Jesus saith unto them. All ye shall be 
offended because of me this night : for it is writ- 
ten, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep 
shall be scattered. 

2S But after that I am risen, I will go before 
you into Galilee. unto him, Although all shall be x offended, 

29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall 30 yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, 
be offended, yet will not I. Verily I say unto thee, that thou to-day, even 

30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say un- this night, before the cock crow twice, shalt 



Revised Version. 

27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be 
1 offended : for it is written, I will smite the 
shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered 

28 abroad. Howbeit, after I am raised up, I will 

29 go before you into Galilee. But Peter said 



to thee, That this day, even in this night, before 
the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 
31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I 
should die with thee, I will not deny thee in 



31 deny me thrice. But he spake exceeding 
vehemently, If I must die with thee, I will 
not deny thee. And in like manner also said 
thev all. 



any wise. Likewise also said they all. 32 And they come unto 2 a place which was 

32 And they came to a place which was named i 

1 Gr. caused to stumble. 2 Gr. mi enclosed piece of ground. 

27. And Jesus saith unto them'] the prophecy of Jesus in verses 27-31, 
may have been spoken while they were at the table, and before the formal in- 
stitution of the Lord' s Supper. This is Robinson' s view, followed by Maclear. 
Clark supposes that the prophecy was twice uttered, once at the table and 
again on the way to the garden, but this is hardly probable. Schaff, Alex- 
ander, Ellicott, and others think it was spoken only while on the way to 
Gethsemane, and hence the order given in Matthew and Mark is accepted. 

" offended'''] = "stumble" or made to fall lt Because of me this night" 
is not found in most of the best MSS. and is omitted in the R. V. 

for it is written] The words are taken from Zech. xiii, 7. The good 
shepherd quotes the allusion to himself in his truest character (John x, 4). 

28. after that I am risen up] The Angel afterwards referred to these very 
words at the open sepulchre on the resurrection morning (Mark xvi, 6, 7). 

29. But Peter said unto him] " Stumble " or " offended " is same word 
as in verse 27, i. e. "make to fall." Ardent and impulsive as ever, the 
apostle could not endure the thought of such desertion. His protestations 
of fidelity are more fully given in Matt xxvi, 33 and John xiii, 37. 

30. this night] "Twice" is not found in a few MSS. but the majority 
have it. The twice crowing would be at two or three, and at five a. h. The 
midnight crowing would not be counted, as Canon Cook conjectures that the 
first trial before Caiaphas could not have taken place before one or two o' clock 
a.m. Before morning Peter would thrice deny that he had ever known his 
Lord. Mark, as usual, records two points which enhance the force of the 
warning and the guilt of Peter, viz. (a) that the cock should crow twice, and (6) 
that after such warning he repeated his protestation with greater vehemence. 

31. If I should] literally, If it be necessary for me to die with Thee', as 
Wyclif renders it, "if it bihoue me to dye to gidere with thee." The Greek 
word for "more" or "exceeding vehemently" refers not so much to the 
ardor of his talk, as to the abundance of it ; he kept on talking in this 
strain, etc. For what followed, see John xiv, to xvii ; other discourses on 
his own approaching departure to the Father, and the coming of the com- 
forter (John xiv, 1-31) ; (2) of himself as the true vine and his disciples as 
the branches (Johnxv, 1-6); (3) of the trials which the apostles must ex- 
pect and the assured aid of the comforter (John xvi,) ; (4) lifting up his eyes 
to heaven, solemnly committing them to the care of the Father, (John xvii,) ; 
(5) then the concluding part of the Hallel (Ps. cxv-cxviii,) was sung, i. e. 
chanted, and the little company went forth to the garden. 

32—42. The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. 
(Evening following Thursday 14th Nisan, April 6th, A. D. 30.) 

32. And they came] they would pass through one of the city gates 



174 



people's commentary 



[Maek XIV, 33, 34 



Revised Version. 
named Gethsemane : and he earth, unto his 

33 disciples, Sit ye here, while I pray. And he 
taketh with him Peter and James and John, 
and began to be greatly amazed, and sore 

34 troubled. And he saith unto them, My soul 
is exceeding sorrowful unto death: 



Authorized Version. 
Gethsemane : and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye 
here, while I shall pray. 

33 And he taketh with him Peter and James 
and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to 
be very heavy ; 

34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceed- 
ing sorrowful unto death : tarry ye here, and 
watch. 

" open that night, as it was passover," down the steep side of the Kedron 
(John xviii, 1), and coming by the bridge, they went onward towards 

Gethsemane] Gethsemane means "oil-press." It was a garden (John 
xviii, 1) or olive orchard, on the slope of Olivet. Thither our Lord was 
wont to resort (John xviii, 2). Tradition places it at the foot of Olivet about 
100 yards east of the bridge over the Kedron (black brook). It is a small 
irregular garden enclosed by a wall 12 feet high, 168 feet long on the north 
side, and 180 feet on the west side. The wall is modern, and was built in 
1847. Within, there are 7 or 8 olive trees, the trunks cracked with age, and 
shored up with stones. One of the trees is 19 feet around at the base, and 
though of great age, cannot date back to Christ's time, for Titus cut down all 
the trees about Jerusalem. The Latin monks keep the place as a flower 
garden, presenting every traveller with a bouquet, for which he is expected to 
give at least one franc. The Greeks have set up another garden further up 
the Mount of Olives, but the one under the Latins is generally accepted as 
Gethsemane. See Schaff, Diet, of the Bible. 

33, he taketh with him] the three most trusted and long-tried of the 
Apostolic body, who had been the privileged witnesses of the raising of the 
daughter of Jairus and of the transfiguration. 

began to be sore amazed] "To drede " — Wyclif: " to be full of horror" — 
Meyer and DeWette. This word in ch. ix, 15 is applied to the amazement 
of the people when they saw the Lord after the transfiguration ; in ch. xvi, 5, 
6, it is applied to the holy women at the Sepulchre. Mark alone applies the 
word in connection with the agony in the garden. 

to be very heavy] " to heuye" — Wyclif. The original word thus translated, 
only occurs (1) here, (2) in the parallel, Matt, xxvi, 37, and (3) in Phil, ii, 26, 
"for he [Epaphroditus] longed after you all, and was full of heaviness/ 1 
Buttmann suggests that the root idea is that of being " away from home " 
and so "confused," "beside one's self." Others consider the primary idea to 
be that of " loathing " and "discontent." It is used by Xenophon and 
Plato to express extreme anxiety and anguish. 

34. exceeding sorrowful] A Greek compound used by Aristotle and Isoc- 
rates, and meaning grieved on every side ; shut in by distress. Herod is 
said to have been " exceeding sorry " at the request for the Baptist's head 
Mark vi, 26. The young ruler was " very sorrowful" Luke xviii, 23. It 
points here to a depth of anguish and sorrow, and we may believe that he 
who at the first temptation had left the Saviour "for a season " (Luke iv,13), 
had now returned, and whereas before he had brought to bear against the 
Lord, as Trench remarks, l ' all things pleasant and flattering, if so he might 
by aid of these entice or seduce him from his obedience, so now he thought 
with other engines to overcome his constancy, and to terrify, if it might 
be, from his allegiance to the truth, him whom manifestly he could not al- 
lure." 

and watch] " with me" adds Matthew (xxvi, 38). Perfect man, " of a 
reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting." He yearned in this awful hour 
for human sympathy. It is almost the only personal request he is ever re- 
corded to have made. It was but "a cup of cold water " that he craved. 



Maek XIV, 35-40.] ON THE GOSPEL OP MARK. 175 



Authorized Version, 
35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the 



Revised Version. 

35 abide ye here, and watch. And he went 
forward a little, and fell on the ground, and 
prayed that, if it were possible, the hour 

36 might pass away from him. And he said, 
Abba, Father, all things are possible unto 
thee; remove this cup from me : howbeitnot 

37 what I will, but what thou wilt. And he 
cometh, and findeth them sleeping, andsaith 

38 unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest 
thou not watch one hour? x Watch and 
pray, that ye enter not into temptation: 
the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is 

39 weak. And again he went away, and prayed, 

40 saying the same words. And again he came, 
and found them sleeping, for their eyes were 
very heavy ; and they wist not what to an- 



ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the 
*iour might pass from him. 

36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things arc 
possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: 
nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt. 

37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, 
and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? 
couldest not thou watch one hour? 

38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temp- 
tation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh 
is weak. 

39 «Ajid again he went away, and prayed, and 
spake the same words. 

40 And when he returned, he found them 
asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither 
wist they what to answer him. 

1 Or, Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not 

But it was denied him ! Very man, he leaned upon the men he loved, and 
they failed him ! He trod the winepress alone ; and of the people there was 
none with him (Isaiah lxiii, 3). 

35o might pass'] he went u about a stone's throw," Luke xxii, 41, for 
prayer, perhaps out of the moonlight into the shadow of the garden. " The 
whole feeling of suffering and judgment to be betrayed by the one-half of 
the world, and to be forsaken by the other half." — Lange. "The feeling 
cannot be entirely accounted for by the desertion of the creature merely ; 
there was also to be the desertion of the Creator." — Shedd. 

36. Abba] Mark alone has preserved for us this word. It is used only 
twice more in the New Testament, and both times by Paul, Rom. viii, 15, 
" ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father," 
and Gal. iv, 6, ' ' God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, cry- 
ing, Abba, Father. ' ' In Syriac it is said to have been pronounced with a double 
b when applied to a spiritual father, with a single b when used in its natural 
sense. With the double letter at all events it has passed into the European 
languages, as an ecclesiastical term, 'abbas,' 'abbot.' See Lightfoot on 
Gal. iv, 6. 

not what I will] This is apt to give some difficulty, in respect to the char- 
acter and nature of Christ. "I willingly submit my human will to thy divine 
will and pleasure. " — Bishop Hall. Richard Baxter exclaimed ' ' Lord, when 
thou wilt, where thou wilt, as thou wilt ! " Some remarks of Petter, of 1692, 
may afford instruction and relief. " There are two distinct wills in Christ. 
...Yet they are not contrary one to the other. The human will of Christ 
being always subject to his divine will." The Monothelites held there was 
but one kind of will in Christ, his divine will. This heresy first originated 
with Eutyches in the fourth century, and was fully developed 200 years later. 
It was sharply confuted by the early fathers, and condemned by councils, es- 
pecially the Sixth of Constantinople. 

37. and saith unto Peter] who had made so many impetuous promises. 

38. the flesh is weak] It is not of course implied that believers opposed 
God's will, but Christ as very God, and very man, had a human will, and knew 
the mystery of the opposition of the strongest, and at the same time the most 
innocent instincts of humanity. The fuller account of the "Agony" is found in 
Luke xxii, 43, 44. 

40. their eyes were heavy] "sothli her yzen were greuyd." — Wyclif. 
Even as had been the case on the mount of transfiguration. The original 
word, supported by the best MSS., only occurs here, and denotes that the 
apostles were utterly tired, and their eyes " weighed down." 

what to answer him] A graphic touch peculiar to the second Evan- 



176 



PEOPLE S COMMENTARY 



Maek XIV, 41-43. 



Revised Version. 

41 swer him. And he cometh the third time, 
and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take 
your rest: it is enough; the hour is come; 
behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the 

42 hands of sinners. Arise, let us be going : be- 
hold, he that betrayeth me is at hand. 

43 And straightway, while he yet spake, 



Authorized Version. 

41 And he cometh the third time, and saith 
unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest : it 
is enough, the hour is come ; behold, the Son of 
man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 

42 Rise up, let us go ; lo, he that betrayeth me 
is at hand. 

43 And immediately, while he yet spake, com- 

gelist, just as the imperfect tense equally graphically implies that the 
eyes of the apostles were constantly becoming weighed down, in spite of 
any efforts they might make to keep awake. Comp. the scene at the trans- 
figuration, Mark ix, 6. Dr. Rush suggests that profound sleep is a symptom 
of great grief. He often witnessed it in mothers just after the death of a 
child. Thus their " heaviness with sleep," as stated by the evangelists, is 
in entire accord with the natural results which might be expected from the 
sorrowful trials they were passing through, and is a proof of the genuineness 
and truthfulness of the sacred scene. 

41. the third time] The temptation of the garden divides itself, like 
that of the wilderness, into three acts, following close on one another. 

Sleep on now] The words are spoken in a kind of gentle irony, accord- 
ing to Calvin, but this is doubtful. See below. The golden hour for watch- 
ing and praying was over. 

it is enough] Some interpret this to mean : (1) enough of sleep, but that 
contradicts " sleep on now; " (2) others, as implying the conflict is over, 
or, still more naturally, (3) Stier adopts Neander's paraphrase, "sleep on 
now, I will no more awake you to watch with me, but ye will soon be roused out 
of your sleep, for behold ye, etc.;" (4) " It is enough of watching," which 
harmonizes best with the words that precede "sleep on now," with the 
charge to watch, and with the words which follow; (5) some see in the 
words "sleep on now " a sad irony, and take the words "it is enough " as 
earnest warning ; (6) others make the first a question: "Do ye sleep ou 
now?" 

Practical Suggestions. — Some of the causes of Christ's agony may be 
reverently inferred from the gospels or surmised : (1) Jesus was in the prime 
of life, and conscious of rare abilities to do a great work; (2) into this hour 
were crowded the cruelty, shame, physical and spiritual torment coming on 
him; (3) he bore the griefs, sins, and sorrows of a world; (4) his friends 
forsook him, adding to his distress; Judas would betray him, his chosen people 
cry out for his blood ; (5) he might escape all this ; he suffered it for hard, 
stubborn hearts at enmity to him ; (6) Satan doubtless oppressed him sorely, 
as hinted in John xiv, 30; (7) severest of all, the Father was to turn from 
him, and give him over to suffer the penalty of broken law, like a common 
malefactor. It was the burden of the sin of millions of souls, extending 
over thousands of years ; it was an awful sense of the virulence of evil, and 
the frown of the Almighty, and the terrible judgment of righteous law, that 
brought this unutterable agony to the Son of God. See Alford, Farrar, 
Geikie, and Edwards on this theme. Be resigned to God's will. A minister 
prayed over a dying child, " If it be thy will spare — ." The poor mother 
yearning over her loved one, exclaimed, " It must be his will, I cannot bear 
it. ' ' The child lived, to the surprise of many, and to the intolerable sorrow 
of the mother, who lived to see him hanged before he was two and. twenty. 
" Oh, it is good to say not my will, but thine be done." — Kilpin. 
43 — 52. The Betrayal. 
(Evening following Thursday, 14th Nisan, A. D., 30.) 

43. And immediately] while he yet spake, the garden was filled with 



";/;-, mm ftaSSSHiDJl 




178 



PEOPLE'S COMMENT AEY 



Mabk XIV, 44-47. 



Revised Version. 
cometh Judae, one of the twelve, and with 
him a multitude with swords and staves, 
from the chief priests and the 6cribes and the 

44 elders. Now he that betrayed him had given 
them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall 
kiss, that is he; take him, and lead him 

45 away safely. And when he was come, 
straightway he came to him, and saith, Eab- 

46 bi ; and 1 kissed him. And they laid hands 

47 on him, and took him. But a certain one of 
them that stood by drew his sword, and smote 
the 2 servant of the high priest, and struck 



Authorized Version. 
eth Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a 
great multitude with swords and staves, from 
the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 

44 And he that betrayed him had given them 
a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that 
same is he ; take him, and lead him away safely. 

45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth 
straightway to him, and saith, Master, Master ; 
and kissed him. 

46 And they laid their hands on him, and took 
him. 

47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, 
and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut 
off his ear. 

1 Gr. hissed him much. 2 Gr. bond-servant. 
armed men, and flashed with the light of numerous lanterns and torches, 
though the paschal moon was at the full, for "in the rocky ravine of the 
Kedron there would fall great deep shadows from the declivity of the moun- 
tains and projecting rocks, and there were caverns and grottoes in which a 
fugitive might retreat. " — Lange, Life of Christ, iv, 292. 

cometh Judas'] during the two hours that had elapsed since he had gone 
forth from the upper room he had not been idle. He had reported to the 
ruling powers that the favorable moment had come, and had doubtless men- 
tioned "the garden" whither his Master was wont to resort. He now re- 
turned, but not alone, for 

with him a great multitude with swords and staves'] ' ' great ' ' is omitted by 
the R. V. These consisted (1) of the regular guards of the temple, (2) of 
the detachment from the Roman cohort quartered in the tower of Antonia 
under the " chiliarch " or tribune in command of the garrison (John xviii, 3, 
12). The high priest may have represented that the force was needed for 
the arrest of a false Messiah, dangerous te> the Roman power. 

44. a token] Judas had never imagined that our Lord would himself come 
forth to meet his enemies (John xviii, 2-5). He had anticipated the neces- 
sity of giving a signal whereby they might know him. The conjecture of 
some commentators (as Whitby), that Judas expected^ Jesus to escape from 
his enemies as he had formerly done, and because Christ did not escape, went 
and hanged himself, is unwarranted, if not absurd. 

take him... safely] " take him," a strong word in Greek meaning to seize, 
overpower, secure him; " safely "_ means "securely," fearing possibly an 
attempt of the disciples to rescue him. 

45. and kissed him] kissed him fervently.^ See R. V. The same word 
in the original, with its intensifying preposition, is used to express (1 ) the kiss- 
ing of our Lord by the woman who was a sinner (Luke vii, 38, 45) ; (2) the 
kissing of the prodigal son by his father (Luke xv, 20) ; and (3) the kissing 
of Paul by the Christians at Miletus (Acts xx, 37). 

47. one of them that stood by] this was Simon Peter (John xviii, 10), 
displaying his characteristic impetuosity. The conjecture that Mark, writing 
his gospel early, omitted Peter's name here, lest the injured man should re- 
taliate if the apostle was made known, rests on a slender basis, for Peter 
was recognized by a relative of Malchus in the court. John xviii, 26. 

servant of the high priest] the servant's name was Malchus. John xviii, 
10. John was an acquaintance of the high priest, hence he knew the name 
of his" servant. 

his ear] Both Mark and John use a diminutive — little ear. Luke alone 
(xxii, 50) tells us it was his right ear. Perhaps it was not completely severed, 
for Luke, who alone also records the healing, says that our Lord simply 
touched it and healed him. 



Mark XIV, 48-52.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 179 



Kevised Version. 

48 off his ear. And Jesus answered and said 
unto them, Are ye come out, as against a 
robber, with swords and staves to seize me ? 

49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, 
and ye took me not : but this is done that the 

50 scriptures might be fulfilled. And they all 
left him, and fled. 

51 And a certain young man followed with him, 
having a linen cloth cast about him, over his 

52 naked body : and they lay hold on him ; but 
he left the linen cloth, and fled naked. 



Avthorized Version'. 

48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, 
Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords 
and with staves to take me ? 

49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, 
and ve took me not : but the scriptures must be 
fulfilled. 

50 And they all forsook him, and fled. 

51 And there followed him a certain young 
man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked 
body ; and the young men laid hold on him: 

52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from 
them naked. 

48. answered, and said unto them] those to whom he now spoke were 
some chief priests and elders and officers of the temple guard (Luke xxii, 52) 
who had been apparently watching his capture. 

a thief] or robber. See R. V. and note on ch. xi, 17. 

49. the scriptures must be fulfilled'] or, that the Scriptures might be ful- 
filled. See R. V. This ought to have reminded the scribes of the Messianic 
predictions of the prophets, and how they were unconsciously fulfilling them. 

50. they all forsook him and fled] even the impetuous Peter who had 
made so many promises ; even the disciple whom He loved. 

51. a certain young man] This forms an episode as characteristic of Mark 
as that of the two disciples journeying to Emmaus is of Luke. Some of the 
conjectures in respect to this young man are (1) that he was the owner of the 
garden; (2) as Plumptre, that he was Lazarus; (3) the apostle John; (see 
Smith's Bible Diet, and Ellicott's Commentary) ; (4) James, the brother of 
the Lord ; (5) a youth of the family where Jesus had eaten the passover, and 
(6) that it was Mark himself, the son of Mary, the friend of Peter. There is 
little ground for these conjectures, beyond the minute narration of the event 
by Mark. The history is silent, and all guesses are of small value. 

having a linen cloth] he had probably been roused from sleep, or just pre- 
paring to retire to rest in a house somewhere in the valley of Kedron, and he 
had nothing to cover him except the sindon or upper garment, but in spite of 
this he ventured, in his excitement, to press on amongst the crowd. The word 
sindon in Matt, xxvii. 59, Mark xv, 46 and Luke xxiii, 53 is applied to fine 
linen, which Joseph of Arimathsea bought for the body of Jesus. The LXX. 
use the word in Judges xiv, 12 and in Prov. xxxi, 24 for "fine under gar- 
ments. ' ' 

the young men] this is omitted by Lachmann, Tischendorf and Tregelles. 
See R. V. 

52. naked] it need not imply that he was absolutely naked. It may 
mean like the Latin nudus, " with only the under robe on." Comp. 1 Sam. 
xix, 24 ; John xxi, 7 ; Virg. Georg. 1, 299. 

53—65. The Jewish Trial. 
(Friday before day, 15th Nisan, A.D. 30.) 
Jesus had two distinct trials : the first before the Jewish high priest and 
Council ; the second before the Roman Procurator, Pilate. During the 
Jewish trial Jesus was arraigned three separate times: (1) Before Annas, 
related only in John xviii, 13-24. There is some difference of opinion 
about the details, compare A. V. with the R. V. in John xviii, 12. (2) Be- 
fore Caiaph as, narrated in Matt, xxvi, 57-68; Mark xiv, 53-65; Luke 
xxii, 54-65. (3) Before the full Sanhedrin, early in the morning just be- 
fore he was led to Pilate's court.* 

* There has been much discussion on whether there were two or only one arraignment of 
Jesus before the high priest previous to his sentence by the full Sanhedrin. The answer depends 
largely, though not wholly, upon the interpretation of John xviii, 24. (1) The A. Y. favors one 



180 PEOPLE S COMMENTARY [Mark XIV, 5$. 



Authorized Version. 
53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: 
and with him were assembled all the chief 
priests and the elders and the scribes. 



Revised Version. 
53 And they led Jesus away to the high 
priest: and there come together with him all 
the chief priests and the elders and the 



Alexander holds that this last was only a private consultation respecting 
the next step, but his view rests on insufficient grounds. Of these three 
portions of the Jewish trial, the first was preliminary, perhaps resembling 
the examination now had in criminal cases before the committing magistrate; 
the second was the more formal trial, where witnesses were called and testi- 
mony brought before the court, the high priest presiding, and a decision of 
guilty was reached ; the third was an apparent revision of the case by the full 
court, and a formal ratification of the decision, including a sentence and pre- 
parations to carry the case to the Roman civil court for approval. It must 
be borne in mind that the Jewish trial was ecclesiastical, not civil. The 
charge in both trials was in substance the same, namely: that of claiming to 
be a king or Messiah ; the crime, however, religiously, was counted blasphemy, 
but politically and civilly, it was treason. See note on legality of trial, page 
185, and also note on chap, xv, 1. 

53. And they led Jesus away} they bound him first (John xviii. 12), and 
then conducted him across the Kedron and up the road leading into the city. 

to the high priest] From the interference of the Roman power with the 
high priest's office, there were ex-high priests alive at this time. Antiochus, 
B. C. 160, had sold the office of high priest to the highest bidder. Annas 
was deposed by the Roman pro- consul, and Caiaphas appointed, but the 
Jews appear to have recognized Annas as high priest, according to the law 
of Moses, which made the office hereditary, not subject to arbitrary appoint- 
ment. Accepting the reading of the R. V. in John xviii, 24, Jesus was 
first led to Annas the high priest, according to the Mosaic law, and given 
a brief examination, John xviii, 13, 19-24, and Annas sent him bound, for 
formal trial, to Caiaphas, the acting high priest under Roman appointment. 
The palace seems to have been jointly occupied by both as a common official 
residence, and thither, though it was midnight, the chief priests, elders and 
scribes repaired. The Jewish trial in its threefold arraignment must there- 
fore, doubtless, have occurred in the same building, though it may have been 
in different rooms. 

arraignment, and that before Caiaphas. It reads : " For Annas had sent him [Jesus] bound unto 
Caiaphas, the high priest," a fact, according to some, mentioned parenthetically, while the details 
in the preceding verses, John xviii, 19-23, are held to relate to his trial before Caiaphas. This in- 
terpretation is favored by Calvin, Beza, Grotius, Bengel, De Wette, Meyer, Robinson, Ltlcke, 
Tholuck, Andrews and Geikie. (2) The R. V. which reads, "Annas sent him bound, etc.," favors 
the other view of two arraignments before the sentence, to wit : (a) A preliminary examination 
before Annas, described in John xviii, 19-23, and (b) a second and formal trial before Caiaphas. 
This seems to be the more natural interpretation of the combined accounts, and has fewer 
difficulties than the first view, since it accords best with the force of the Greek text. For while 
the Greek aorist is sometimes used in the sense of the English past-perfect tense, it is not com- 
monly so used. There was a good reason for taking Jesus before Annas, since he was the high 
priest according to Jewish law, and was, no doubt, so recognized by the strictest legalists. The 
age and influence of Annas also favor two hearings ; first by Annas, second by Caiaphas, and this 
interpretation is supported byChrysostom, Augustine, Olshausen, Sehleiermacher, Stier, Neander, 
Ebrard, Wieseler, Lange, Alford, Ellicott, Farrar,Dean Mansell, Schaff, David Brown and others. 
A third arraignment was also had in the morning, before the full Sanhedrin, for a formal ratifi- 
cation of the decision. The decision had been already reached by the commission, or more pro- 
bably by a smaller meeting of the Sanhedrin. At the full meeting in the morning, Jesus was 
arraigned for sentence. This view is held by Andrews, Farrar, Geikie and many others; though 
questioned by Alexander, who holds that it was not a formal, but an informal meeting. The 
Greek word, however, is used to designate a formal meeting, and the context in Mark xv, 1, and 
Matthew xxvii, 1, fairly implies an official meeting of the council or Sanhedrin. See R.V. This 
view is the most satisfactory. Naturally, the rulers would outwardly make a pretence of fol- 
lowing legal forms, and therefore have the decision ratified, even though they did not delay a full 
day, as in strictness their rules, given in the Talmud, appear to have required, 




VIA dolorosa: ecce homo abch. 



182 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XIV, 54-57. 



Authorized Version. 

54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into 
the palace of the high priest: and he sat with 
the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. 

55 And the chief priests and all the council 
sought for witness against Jesus to put him to 
death ; and found none. 

56 For many bare false witness against him, 
but their witness agreed not together. 

57 And there arose certain, and bare false wit- 
ness against him, saying, 



Revised Version. 

54 scribes. And Peter had followed him afar 
off, even within, into the court of the high 
priest ; and he was sitting with the officers, 
and warming himself in the light of the fire. 

55 Now the chief priests and the whole council 
sought witness against Jesus to put him to 

56 death; and found it not. For many bare 
false witness against him, and their witness 

57 agreed not together. And there stood up 
certain, and bare false witness against him, 



54. And Peter... into the palace] rather into the large open square 
court, in which public business was transacted. See R. V. Into it Peter 
and John ventured (John xviii, 15). The latter, as being acquainted with 
the high priest, easily obtained admittance ; Peter, at first rejected by the 
porteress, was admitted at the request of John. 

and warmed himself] in the centre of the court the servants of the high 
priest had made a fire of charcoal, probably on a brazier, and there Peter, 
now admitted, was warming himself. 

55. the chief priests] Mark passes over the details of the examination 
before Annas, and the first commencement of insult and violence, recorded 
only by John (xviii, 19-24). He places us in the mansion of Caiaphas, 
whither our Lord was conducted across the courtyard, and where the coun- 
cil of the nation had met together. 

sought for witness] By the law they were bound to secure the agreement 
of two witnesses on some specific charge. a As to be perfectly just is an 
attribute of the divine nature, to be so to the uttermost of our abilities, is the 
glory of man." — Addison. But they found no testimony against him. See 
R.V. It would not, probably, have been difficult to have secured witnesses 
against him, on a charge which would condemn him according to Jewish law. 
His claim to forgive sins, as in Mark ii, 7, or breaking the Sabbath, 3, 5, 6, 
would have sufficed for that. Geikie, following Keim, seems to question 
this view. But the Mosaic law is unmistakably clear and strong. Compare 
Exod. xxxi, 14, 15; xxxv, 2; Num. xv, 32-36; Lev. xxiv, 10-16; Jer. 
xvii, 27. The Jewish court could not execute a death penalty under Roman 
law. Hence, they wished to find and to prove a charge which would con- 
demn him according to Roman law, in order to have ground of appeal to 
Roman authority, which must approve of any death sentence before it could 
be executed. 

56. their witness agreed not together] i ' the witnessingis weren not couen- 
able." — Wyclif. The law required that at least two witnesses must agree. 
See Deut. xvii, 6, xix, 15. The Greek literally reads "and equal their tes- 
timonies were not." The same phrase occurs in v. 59. Some interpret it to 
mean that the witnesses contradicted each other ; others that it was insuffi- 
cient, which is more probable, i. e. there were independent witnesses to a 
multitude of facts, but not two concurrent witnesses to one fact. In the 
Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions the word li false" in the first clause of 
this verse is not expressed, but only that they bore witness against him. 

57. and there arose certain] two at last came forward. Buxtorf cites 
the following Rabbinical testimony in regard to false witnesses against Jesus. 
" Against none of those guilty of death are snares to be laid, except against 
one who has endeavored to pervert another to idolatry and strange worship. 
And then it is done thus : they light a candle in an inner room, and place the 
witnesses in the outer, so that they may see him and hear his voice, without his 
seeing them. And so they did to the Son of Satda (Mary). They placed 
men privately in the next room, to witness against him in Jud (or Judea), 



Mask XIV, 58-61.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 183 



Authorized Version. 

58 We heard him say, I will destroy this tem- 
ple that is made with hands, and within three 
days I will build another made without hands. 

59 But neither so did their witness agree to- 
gether. 

60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, 
and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou no- 



Kevised Version. 

58 saying, "We heard him say, I will destroy 
this x temple that is made with hands, and 
in three days I will build another made with- 

59 out hands. And not even so did their wit- 

60 ness agree together. And the high priest 
stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, say- 
ing, Answerest thou nothing? what is it 



thing? what is it which these witness against ! 61 which these witness against thee? But he 

thee ? held his peace, and answered nothing. Again 

61 But he held his peace, and answered no- the high priest asked him, and saith unto 

thing. Again the high priest asked him, and him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the 
said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of I 
the Blessed? I 

1 Or, sanctuary 

and hanged him upon a cross, on the evening of the passover." — Sales 1 
Chronology. 

58. We heard him say~\ The statements now made are given with more 
detail by Mark than any other of the evangelists. This was false testimony 
inasmuch as it was a perversion of Christ's words. It is probable, though 
not certain, that the witnesses were guilty of iviUful perversion, and therefore 
of perjury, in thus repeating the prophecy of Jesus concerning the destruc- 
tion of the temple. The careless listener might have understood Jesus to say 
he would destroy the temple, instead of, " destroy this temple and in three 
days I will raise it up," (John ii, 19). This point is not important, however, 
for it was not on this that his condemnation was secured. 

59. neither... witness agree] The statements of the witnesses did not tally, 
and their testimony was therefore worthless. Their memories had travelled 
over three years, to the occasion of the first passover at Jerusalem and the 
first cleansing of the temple. But they perverted the real facts of the case 
(John ii, 18-22). Mark alone notices the disagreement of their testimony. 
"The differences between the recorded words of our Lord and the reports 
of the witnesses are striking : ' lam able to destroy ! (Matt, xxvi, 61) ; 1 1 will 
destroy' (Mark xiv, 58) ; as compared with ' Destroy... and I will raise 1 (John 
ii, 19)." — Wescott. In the " Grospel of Nicodemus" and the so-called 
" Acts of Pilate'" it is asserted that several witnesses voluntarily testified in 
favor of Jesus ; among them were Nicodemus, Bartimeus, of Jericho, the 
lame man who was healed at the Pool of Bethesda, the woman who was 
cured of an issue of blood, and whose name is given as Veronica, and the 
centurion of Capernaum, whose servant was cured. These statements are 
founded on traditions, which, though very old, are not very trustworthy. 

60. And the high priest stood up] The impressive silence which our 
Lord preserved, while false witnesses were being sought against him (Matt, 
xxvi, 62), was galling to the pride of Caiaphas. Comp. R. V. Standing up, 
therefore, in the midst (a graphic touch which we owe to Mark alone), he 
adjured him in the most solemn manner possible (Matt, xxvi, 63), to declare 
whether he was "the Malcha Meschicha" — the King Messiah, the son of 
the blessed. This was an attempt to make Jesus criminate himself; a pro- 
cedure contrary to all our ideas of justice, though not uncommon to ancient 
courts, and modern ones in the East. 

61. held his peace] " Euripides was wont to say, silence was an answer 
to a wise man ; but we seem to have greater occasion for it in our dealing 
with fools and unreasonable persons, for men of breeding and sense will be 
satisfied with reason and fair words. ' ' — Plutarch. ' ' What strange power there 
is in silence !... When some of those cutting, sharp, blighting words have been 
spoken, which send the hot indignant blood to the face and head, if those to 
whom they are addressed keep silence, look on with awe, for a mighty work 



184 



people's commentary 



[Mark XIV, 62-64. 



Authorized Version. 

62 And Jesus said, I am : and ye shall see the 
Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, 
and coming in the clouds of heaven. 

63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and 
saith, What need we any further witnesses? 

64 Ye have heard the blasphemy : what think 
ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty 
of death. 



62 



Revised Version. 
? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall 



see the Son of man sitting at the right hand 
of power, and coming with the clouds of 

63 heaven. And the high priest rent hie clothes, 
and saith, What further need have we of wit- 

64 nesses ? Ye have heard the blasphemy : what 
think ye ? And they all condemned him to 



is going on within them. ...During that pause they have made a step toward 
heaven or toward hell, and an item has been scored in the book which the 
day of Judgment shall see opened. They are the strong ones of earth, the 
mighty food for good or evil." — Emerson. 

62. And Jesus said, I am] Thus adjured, the Lord broke the silence and 
now replied, "I am — the Messiah, the Son of God, the Son of man — and here- 
after ye shall see me sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the 
clouds of heaven. 1 '' Comp. Dan. vii, 13; Ps. viii, 4, ex, 1. Gerlach pro- 
nounces this the most clear and definite testimony in favor of the divinity of 
Christ. Caiaphas asked if in claiming to be Messiah he also claimed to be 
the Son of God. Jesus understood the question and affirmed his divine na- 
ture. If his testimony is not true, he must be called a deceiver, but he is pro- 
nounced a good man universally, hence his testimony is true. 

63. Then the high priest] Caiaphas had now gained his end. The accused 
had criminated himself. This was blasphemy, according to their judgment, 
and it could be made constructive treason against the Roman government, for 
their ideas of Messiah as a temporal king would lead to rebellion against, and 
a dethroning of, Caesar. All was uproar and confusion. The high priest rent, 
not his priestly robes (as some interpret), for these were only worn when 
officiating in the temple. Indeed it was not lawful for him to rend his 
clothes (Lev. x, 6, xxi, 10), though tradition, based on 2 Kings xviii, 37, 
held it allowable in cases of blasphemy. Yet, as Alford suggests, it is more 
probable that the high priest rent his tunic, as the Greek word implies. 
The tunics were of linen. 

64. what think ye ?] This was not a request for a colloquial opinion, but 
was most probably the customary legal form for gaining a decision of the court, 
as Alexander observes. The high priest did not illegally assume that all 
agreed with him, as some hold, and pronounce the condemnation in indecent 
haste, on his own opinion ; he called for a formal judgment from the council, 
and "they all condemned him." 

they all condemnedhim] " They all," i. e., the majority; indeed we only know 
of one possible exception, see ch. xv, 43, unless the conjecture that Nicode- 
mus was a member of the Sanhedrin and present at his trial, be accepted. 
Canon Cook infers that none had been summoned to this meeting who were 
suspected of being in favor of Jesus, though they may have been called to the 
more formal council in the morning, where alone legal sentence could be 
pronounced. Worse than false prophet, worse than seditious, he had de- 
clared himself to be the " Son of God," and that in the presence of the high 
priest and the great Council. He had incurred the capital penalty. They 
could pass a sentence but only as an empty form, for it must be referred to 
the Roman governor, and be confirmed, to give it legal force. In regard to 
the confession that Jesus was the Son of God, as the Jews charged, Whately 
acutely remarks : " He must have known that they so understood him... they 
must have understood him rightly. For if he, condemned as he was on the 
evidence of his own words, had known that these words were understood dif- 
ferently from his real meaning, and yet had not corrected their mistake, he 
would "himself have been bearing false witness against himself. If he were 



Mask XIV, 65.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 185 



Authorized Version. 

65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover 

his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, 

Prophesy : and the servants did strike him with 

the palms of their hands. 



Kevised Version". 
65 be 1 worthy of death. And some began to 
spit on him, and to cover his face, and to 
buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy : 
and the officers received him with 2 blows of 
their hands. 



1 Gr. liable to. a Or, strokes of rods 

not the Son of God in the sense the Jews meant, I am really at a loss to see 
on what ground we can find fault with the sentence they pronounced. ' ' This, 
then, is a very strong proof of his divine character. 

guilty of death} We would say ' ' guilty of blasphemy, ' ' but in ancient 
usage guilt is connected with the punishment fixed for the crime, not the 
crime itself, as in present usage. 

65. to spit on him] In those rough ages a prisoner under.sentence of death 
was ever delivered over to the mockery of the guards. It was so now with the 
holy one of God. Spitting was regarded by the Jews as an expression of the 
greatest contempt (Num. xii, 14; Deut. xxv, 9). Seneca records that it was 
inflicted at Athens on Aristides the Just, but it was only with the utmost diffi- 
culty that any one could be found willing to do it. But those who were 
excommunicated were specially liable to this expression of contempt. (Isaiah 
1, 6.) Camb. Bible. 

did strike him with the palms of their hands] Notice the reading in the 
B. V. a The hands they bound had healed the sick, and raised the dead; 
the lips they smote had calmed the winds and waves. One word and his 
smiters might have been laid low in death. But as he had begun and con- 
tinued, he would end — as self- restrained in the use of his awful powers on 
his own behalf as if he had been the most helpless of men — Divine patience 
and infinite love knew no wearying."* — 

* The Legality of the Trial.— There has been much discussion on whether the trial of Jesus was 
conducted according to the prevailing forms of law. Jewish writers have generally maintained 
that it was. Salvador, a learned Jew, in his " History of the Institutions of Moses and of the 
Hebrew Prophets," defends the trial as a proper judicial procedure. Kegarding Jesus as only a 
citizen, and briefly reciting his principal acts, especially his severe denunciations of cities and 
persons, his acts in the temple, and his claims to be the Son of God, Salvador holds that the high 
priest was compelled to notice and to repress by law such disturbers of the nation, who might 
bring the Koman power upon them. Hence the public order to arrest Jesus — an order of which 
he claims Jesus knew, and which was not given without warning ; as he was asked for his au- 
thority; was arrested; the officers were resisted; one wounded; Jesus was brought before the 
grand council; the priests sustain the charge; the high priest appeals to Jesus in respect to the 
truth of the charge; he admits it; the council deliberate; Jesus claims to be God; he is con- 
demned under Deut. xiii, and xviii, 20. The ill treatment following the sentence Salvador does 
not admit, but regards the account of the evangelists at this point as an exaggeration. The council 
met the next morning, as the law required, confirmed the sentence, and carried the case to Pilate, 
whose soldiers showed the barbarity common to them in those times. Pilate before signing the 
decree granted an appeal to the people, they chose another to fee released, and so Jesus was con- 
demned. Salvador holds that the priests did not mock him, but with dignity and sincerity de- 
manded that he come down from the cross, as a miracle decisive of his claims. Another able 
Hebrew historian, however, concedes that there was undue precipitancy in the trial, which he ex- 
cuses on the ground that Caiaphas and his colleagues belonged to the Sadducees, notorious for 
cruelty, and holds that it would not have occurred under the Pharisees. See Derenbourg, Historie 
de la Palestine. And Jewish writers generally maintain that whatever may be the real merits of 
the case, the trial was a regular judicial one, and " the sentence legally just." 

Christian writers, on the other hand, have generally held that forms of law were grossly violated. 
But most Gentile Christians have been too ready to put a construction upon the X. T. history which 
would aid in casting increased obloquy upon the Jewish people. M. Dupin, in a reply to Salvador, 
maintains that the accused was deprived of rights belonging to him under the rules of Jewish 
law; was arrested in the night; bound as a malefactor; beaten before arraignment; struck in 
open court during trial ; tried on a feast day, before sunrise ; compelled to criminate himself, under 
a solemn judicial adjuration; was sentenced on the same day of conviction, and that in all these 
particulars the law was disregarded. 

Salvador and Dupin represent extreme views, and the truth as to the observance of legal forms 
in the trial doubtless lies somewhere between these extremes. Eastern courts lack much of the 
regularity of procedure required and observed under our laws. Even the forms usually accepted 



186 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XIV, 



Revised Version. 
And as Peter was beneath in the court, 
there cometh one of the maids of the high 



Authorized Version. 
66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, 
there cometh one of the maids of the high 
priest: 

66—72. The Denial by Peter. 
66. And as Peter'] To the sad scene enacted in the hall of trial above, an 
almost sadder moral tragedy was added in the court (not "palace," as the 
A. V. reads) below. Calvin quaintly says, " Peter's fall is a bright mirror of 

there are not infrequently put aside, by the caprice of the judge, or under strong pressure of any 
kind. Such instances are now too common there to excite remark, and under the semi-anarchy 
following the subjugation of the Jews under the Romans, we may well believe these irregulari- 
ties no less frequent. Making due allowance for this general irregularity in following any forms 
of law and justice there, it must be conceded, by dispassionate minds, that the Jewish rulers pro- 
fessed to observe the forms of law in the trial about as closely as was customary in their times. 
Their fear of the populace, which had only a few days before heralded the coming of Jesus with 
such enthusiasm, would lead them to preserve the outward semblance of law, in his arrest and 
trial, that they might carry the people with them. This view receives further support from the 
fact that Peter, in his address in Solomon's porch, says that he knew the people rejected Christ 
and chose Barabbas through ignorance, as the rulers did also. See Acts iii, 17. And Paul also im- 
plies that Christ was condemned by the rulers of this world from lack of wisdom, 1 Cor. ii, 8. In 
Acts ii, 23, Peter says to his hearers that they "by wicked hands have crucified and slain" 
J«sus, i. e. by the hands of the Gentiles, or the Roman governor. The A. V. rendering "by 
wicked hands," is misleading. - See Hackett, Alexander, Lange and David Brown in loco, and also 
the R. V. If in the successive steps of the trial they " honored the appearance of justice while 
mocking the reality," as Geikie asserts, still that is notoriously an oriental fashion, as ancient as 
it was common. On the other hand there can assuredly be no excuse for the guilt of the Jewish 
rulers in calling or accepting "false witnesses," or in refusing to accept the manifold proof of 
his real character which the life and miracles of Jesus afforded. They denied his divine char- 
acter, and treated his Messianic claims as unfounded, and his further claim to work wonders by 
his own power and not in the name of God, was regarded as a sin, like unto that of Moses at Meri- 
bah, Num. xx, 12, and his acceptance of worship, as if divine, being, in their view, a sin which 
exposed him to death under Deut. xiii. 

An able Christian jurist and professor of law, Simon Greenleaf, after reviewing the irregulari- 
ties of the trial, calmly concludes, "If we regard Jesus simply as a Jewish citizen, and with no 
higher character, this conviction seems substantially right in point of law, though the trial were 
not legal in all its forms.. ..It is not easy to perceive on what ground his conduct could have been 
defended before any tribunal, unless upon that of his superhuman character." The Jewish San- 
hedrin were not convinced that Jesus was such a character, and would not for a moment admit 
his claim, and therefore could not do otherwise than condemn him. The appeal of the high 
priest to Jesus for an assent to or denial of the accusation brought against him, is not noted by 
Greenleaf as an example of illegal forms in the trial, nor is it likely that it would be so regarded 
in ordinary eastern courts. That the most was made of the confession, to change popular tide 
against the prisoner, was natural. It must not be forgotten that blasphemy was a crime regarded 
with peculiar horror among the Jews. Hence Jesus was regarded as a notorious and dangerous 
character. That they had resolved to put him to death was also natural. His offences against 
their laws and traditions were numerous, of galling publicity, and in their eyes of the very 
worst kind, calling for the severest penalties under Mosaic statutes. The false witnesses, the harsh- 
ness, and whatever other irregularities of procedure they pursued, were illegal, as well as unjust, 
but how far there were other irregularities, cannot be fully determined. 

The Talmudic rules for trials may not be identical with the accepted regulations of those times, 
since the accuracy of the Talmud in respect to rules on other matters has been sharply questioned. 
See Whiston's Josephus, vol. ii, p. 20. Gentile Christians who can now perceive the awful mis- 
take of the Jews in respect to the true character of Jesus, had they lived in that day, amid the 
knowledge and prejudices then current, is it likely they would have failed to join in the popular 
clamor which rejected Jesus and accepted Barabbas? 

Of the Roman proceedings it need only be added, two courses were open to the Jewish rulers : 
(1) To ask the Roman official to ratify their sentence without inquiry, or (2) to bring a charge 
which the civil court must recognize, and if true, condemn the accused. The Procurator in im- 
perial provinces, in times of danger to the State, might become an unrestricted dictator, subject 
only to the pro-consul, or the Emperor. Pilate did not hesitate to exercise such powers. He did 
not at once accede to the first request of the Jews, as they hoped he would. He called for the 
grounds of their condemnation of Jesus. They exhibited petulance unbecoming a judicial 
tribunal, when called to give their accusation. And when Pilate pronounced the charge of trea- 
son unfounded, from the statements of Jesus that a spiritual kingdom was his aim, the Jewish 
rulers still persisted in their charge. When Pilate sought to escape condemning Jesus by an ap- 
peal to the populace, the rulers outwitted him, and Pilate finally delivered Jesus to be crucified, 
because he claimed to be the " King of the Jews." And he certified, by the title placed on the 
cross, that this was the charge upon which the accused was executed. 



Mark XIV, 67-70.] 



OS THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



187 



Kevised Version. 

67 priest : and seeing Peter -warming himself, 
she looked upon him, and saith, Thou also 

68 wast with the Xazarene, even Jesus. But he 
denied, saving, * I neither know, nor under- 
stand what thou sayest : and he went out 

' 69 into the - porch; 3 and the cock crew. And 
the maid saw him. and began again to say to 
70 them that stood by, This is one of them. But 
he again denied it. And after a little while 
again they that stood by said to Peter, Of a 
truth thou art one of them ; for thou art a 



Authorized Version. 

67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, 
3he looked upon him, and said, A.nd thou also 
wast with Jesus of Xazareth. 

68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither 
understand I what thou sayest. And he went 
out into the porch: and the" cock crew. 

69 And a maid saw him again, and began to 
say to them that stood by. This is one of them. 

70 And he denied it again. And a little after, 
they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely 
thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilean, 
and thy speech agreeth thereto. I 

1 Or, I neither know, nor understand : thou, what sayest thou f 2 Gr. forecourt. 3 Many ancient 
authorities omit and the cock crew. 

our weakness. In his repentance also, a striking instance of the goodness 
and mercy of God is held out to us/' The precise time and order of the 
three denials is left to conjecture. They here form one connected narrative, 
though they may have occurred at different periods during the trial. 

67. icarming himself] Probably shortly 
after his entrance. The maid or porteress who 
admitted him asked him the question in re- 
proach. See form of her remark in R.V. 

she looked upon him'] with fixed and earnest 
gaze, as the original word used by Luke (xxii, 
56) implies. 

68. But he denied] thrown off his guard per- 
haps by the searching glances of the bystanders, 
Peter replied at first evasively, that he neither 
knew nor understood what she meant. See 
Lange, Life. iv. p. 316. Others think it means, 
"I know himnot, neither understand I what thou 
sayest.' , See R.V. He should have stopped 
at once. "A lie." savs Carlvle, "should be 
trampled on and extinguished Wherever found. CHAFING DISH 0F ™^ c0 ^- 

I am for fumigating the atmosphere, when I suspect that falsehood like a 
pestilence breathes around me." 

into the porch] " The outer courtyard."' — Meyer. "The fore court." R.V. 
margin. Anxious probably for a favorable opportunity of retiring alto- 
gether, the apostle now moved away from the centre of the court. Here the 
second denial took place (Matt, xxvi, 71, 72), and for the first time a cock 
crew. This cock crowing is omitted in some MSS. See R. V. margin. 

69. maid saw him again'] recognized at the porch, Peter seems to have 
returned once more towards the fire, and was conversing in his rough Galilean 
dialect with the soldiers and servants when, after the lapse of an hour, not 
another, but the same maid (see R. V.), again made the charge. 

to them that stood by] on this occasion she addressed herself to the by- 
standers, amongst whom was a kinsman of Malchus (John xviii, 26). 

70. And he denied it again] this denial was probably addressed to those 
round the fire. "Any man who is not supported by the hand of God," says 
Calvin, " will instantly fall by a slight gale, or the rustling of a falling leaf." 
Peter, "tempted by a woman's voice, immediately denies his master, and yet 
but lately thought himself a valiant soldier, even unto death." 

a Galilean] Some authorities and the A. V. add, "and thy speech agrees 
thereto." But many omit these words, as the R. V. The thought is in 
Matt, xxvi, 73. The Galilean burr was rough, and they confounded the gut- 
turals and the last two letters of the Hebrew alphabet in speech. Hence the 




188 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XIV, 71-XV, t 



Authorized Version. 

71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, 
I know not this man of whom ye speak. 

72 And the second time the cock crew. And 
Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said 
unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt 
deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, 
he wept. 

CHAP. XV. — And straightway in the morn- 
ing the chief priests held a consultation 



Revised Version. 

71 Galilean. But he began to curse, and to 
swear, I know not this man of whom ye 

72 speak. And straightway the second time the 
cock crew. And Peter called to mind the 
word, how that Jesus said unto him, Before 
the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me 
thrice. x And when he thought thereon, he 
wept. 

15 And straightway in the morning the chief 
priests with the elders and scribes, and the 



7 Or, And he began to weep. 

Galileans were not allowed to read aloud in the Jewish synagogues. Light- 
foot gives examples of the confusion produced by their pronunciation, ask- 
ing, Whose is immar (this lamb) ? they pronounced it so that hearers did not 
know whether an ass, wine, wool or lamb was meant. 

71. he began to curse and to swear'] "We have reason to suspect the 
truth of that which is backed with oaths and rash imprecations. None but 
the devil's sayings need the devil's proofs." — Henry. But assailed by the 
bystanders just mentioned and by the kinsman of Malchus (John xviii, 26), 
the apostle now fell deeper still. 

72. And Peter called to mind'] all that his Lord had said, all his repeated 
warnings rushed back to his remembrance, and lit up the darkness of his soul. 

when he thought thereon] there are various renderings and interpreta- 
tions of this phrase, some of them strained and fanciful. Two, worthy of 
notice, are, (1) literally " casting on " it, i.e. his mind, is the rendering of the 
A.V. and R.V., and this usage accords with that of Plutarch, Galen and 
others. (2) "casting his eyes" on (him), as Jesus looked at Peter. This, 
if tenable, would give a happy antithesis between Luke and Mark, but the 
first is the better reading. 

he wept] not with the remorse of Judas, but the godly sorrow of true re- 
pentance. Peter's fault is not lessened, for Mark states that the first crowing 
of the cock did not. suffice to recall him to his duty, but a second was needed. 
Tradition says Peter could never hear a cock crow without tears, and it might 
well be true. 

Ch. XV. 1 — 15. Verdict of the Sanhedrin and Trial before Pilate. 
(Friday, 15th Nisan, 783, April 7 th, (?) A.D. 30.) 

1. And straightway] See R.V., which implies that it was a full coun- 
cil, many important persons; as Ellicott notices, "the whole council is 
in apposition with ' ' the chief priests. As the day dawned, a second meet- 
ing of the Sanhedrin was convened. ' 'A legal Sanhedrin it could hardly be 
called, for there are scarcely any traces of such legal assemblies during the 
Roman period." The laws of this august court were humane, and the pro- 
ceedings were, in theory, conducted with the greatest care. The axiom cur- 
rent was " the Sanhedrin was to save, not to destroy life." In trials before 
this court, the rules, according to the Talmud were : (1) the accused one to be 
held innocent until proved guilty. (2) No one could be tried or condemned 
in his absence. (3) Witnesses were to be warned of the value of life, and 
to omit nothing in the prisoner's favor. (4) He was to have counsel to de- 
fend him. (5) All evidence in his favor was to be admitted freely. (6) Any 
member of the court who had favored acquittal could not later vote for con- 
demnation. (7) Votes of the youngest members were first taken that they 
might not be influenced by seniors. (8) In capital offences a majority of two, 
at least, was required to condemn. (9) A verdict of acquittal could be pro- 
nounced on the day of trial ; of guilt, only on the day after trial. (10) No 
criminal trial could be carried through in the night. (11) The judges 
must fast for a day before the trial. (12) No one could be executed 



Mark XV, 1.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 189 



Revised Version. 



whole council, held a consultation, and hound 
Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered 



Authorized Version. 
with the elders and scribes and the whole coun- 
cil, and bound Jesus, and carried Mm away, and 
delivered him to Pilate. 

on the same day as the sentence. The trial before Caiaphas and the 
Sanhedrin was, therefore, in violation of their rules, not preserving forms of 
justice, according to strict Jewish law. The rules were often pushed 
aside, as in Maccabean times. It is asserted that in the Talmud a new 
doctrine was invented, permitting one falsely claiming to be Messiah to 
be tried and condemned the same day, or in the night, to relieve the keen- 
ness of the feeling in the Jewish nation over the judicial murder of Jesus. 
A story was also coined, that a crier called aloud for forty days for witnesses 
to come forward in his defence. See Ginsburg, in Kittys Cyc, Keim, Eder- 
sheimand Geikie. Some, as Alexander, suppose the " consultation" in the 
morning was only an informal and private one ; some, as Meyer and Ellicott, 
regard it as merely a continuation of the former meeting ; others, as Gres- 
well, Andrews, Farrar, Geikie, and most late writers, hold that it was an 
official meeting of the Sanhedrin to ratify the sentence, and order the case 
before the Roman procurator. This seems the most probable. 

whole council] Lightfoot quotes from Maimonides a precept that it was not 
necessary for all members of the Sanhedrin to be present to transact business, 
but when all were specially summoned, then attendance was compulsory. 
Mark here implies such a compulsory meeting of the whole council. 

carried him away] It is uncertain where the Praetorium was to which 
Jesus was taken. There are two prevailing views : (1) That it was in the 
tower or castle of Antonia, on the north side of the temple ; formerly 
this was the prevailing opinion, and is maintained by some later critics, 
as Weiss, Tischendorf, Barclay, Lange and Wieseler. (2) That it was 
one of the two gorgeous palaces of Herod, on the western hill of Jerusalem, 
not far from the present Jaffa gate. This view is accepted by Winer, Lewin, 
Tobler, Farrar, Andrews, Geikie, Canon Cook, Schaff, and the majority of 
late critics. It renders the traditional journey to Golgotha, through the via 
dolorosa, improbable. 

to Pilate] Early in the morning the Roman governor was called to preside 
in a case which has stigmatized his name through the centuries. (1) His 
name, Pontius, is thought by some to indicate that he was connected, either by 
descent or adoption, with the gens of the Pontii, conspicuous in Roman his- 
tory ; by others, that he came from Pontus, the kingdom of Mithridates. 
His surname, Pilatus, has been interpreted as (a) "armed with the pilum or 
javelin," or, = (&) from pileus, the cap or badge of manumitted slaves, or (c) 
that he was skilled in throwing the pilum or spear. (2) He was a native of 
Italy, or possibly of Gaul, and was appointed procurator under the governor 
{pro-praetor) of Syria, in A. D. 26 (or 29), succeeding Valerius Gratus. His 
wife was named Procla, or Procula. His proper residence was at Caesarea 
(Acts xxiii,23) ; he had assessors to assist him in council (xxv, 12); wore the 
military dress ; was attended by a cohort as a body guard (Matt, xxvii, 27) ; 
and at the great festivals came up to Jerusalem to keep order. As judge he 
sat on a Bema or portable tribunal erected on a tesselated pavement, called 
in Hebrew Gabbatha (John xix, 13), and was invested with the power of 
life and death (Matt, xxvii, 26). (3) In character he was sharp, selfish and 
cunning, yet anxious at times to act justly, and even mercifully, but without 
moral courage to follow justice in the face of public clamor. As a ruler he 
had shown himself cruel and unscrupulous (Luke xiii, 1, 2), and in A.D. 36 
the governor of Syria (for Pilate's title was not properly governor), accused 
him at Rome, for a cruel slaughter of Samaritans in consequence of which 
Pilate was banished to Gaul, where he is said to have committed suicide* 



190 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XV, 2-5. 



Kevised Version. 

2 him up to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, 
Art thou the King of the Jews ? And he 

3 answering, saith unto him, Thou sayest. And 
the chief priests accused him of many things. 

4 And Pilate again asked him,saying, Answerest 
thou nothing ? behold how many things they 

5 accuse thee of. But Jesus no more answered 
anything ; insomuch that Pilate marvelled. 



Authorized Version. 

2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King 
of the Jews ? And he answering, said unto him, 
Thou sayest it. 

3 And the chief priests accused him of many 
things; but he answered nothing. 

4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answer- 
est thou nothing? behold how many things they 
witness against thee. 

5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that 
Pilate marvelled. 

Tacitus refers to him, as putting Christ to death. Near Vienne, on the 
Rhone, the modern traveler is shown a tower, from which, tradition says, 
Pilate threw himself. On lake Luzerne, in Switzerland, there is a noble 
peak of the Alps called " Pilatus," and a legend says he lived as a hermit 
on this, mountain, and sought a grave beneath the waters of the lake. See 
M. J. Raphall's Post-Biblical History of the Jews. The so-called u Acts of 
Pilate " are now considered spurious. The power of life and death was 
taken from the Jewish rulers, when Archelaus was removed, A.D. 6 ; though 
the Talmud says it was done forty years before the fall of Jerusalem. 

2. And Pilate asked him] some conjecture that this was a private investiga- 
tion within the prcetorium. At any rate the Jews carefully suppressed thereli- 
gious grounds on which they had charged and condemned our Lord, and changed 
the form (not the substance), of their accusation, so as to make it a political 
offence ; he opposed giving tribute to Caesar, because he himself was Messiah, 
a king. See Luke xxiii, 2. This claim to be Messiah, and hence king, was sub- 
stantially the same charge on which they had condemned him in the Jewish 
court, only in their court the religious crime was called blasphemy, while in 
the civil court it would be treason. That the accusation was substantially 
the same as the charge on which he had already been condemned, will ap- 
pear more clearly by comparing Luke xxiii, 2, 3, and John xviii, 33-37. 
When this charge broke down, as not proven, then they resorted to various 
other accusations, and to the general clamor against Pilate as Caesar's enemy, 
if he u let this man go." This clamor derived its greatest force from the fact 
that Jesus was charged with being a king, and hence opposed to Caesar, John 
xix, 22 ; and the Jewish rulers, also tauntingly reminded the Roman Governor 
that they had convicted Jesus of sedition and of a capital crime, under their 
law, and that this conviction only needed the customary and formal Roman 
approval ; compare Luke xxiii, 2, 5 ; John xix, 7. Calvin long ago ob- 
served : " he [Jesus] was accused on various grounds; but it is evident, from 
the whole of the narrative, this [of claiming to be a king] was the chief 
ground of accusation." Having no quaestor to conduct the examination, 
Pilate was obliged to hear the case in person. 

Thou sayest] John tells us (1) of Christ's counter question to Pilate ; (2) 
why he asked the question ; his explanation of the real nature of his king- 
dom (John xviii, 37, 38). This relieved Jesus of any treason, since his king- 
dom was only spiritual. The Jews, however, persisted in the charge, as they 
held Messiah's kingdom was temporal and therefore opposed to Caesar. 

3* And the chief priests accused him] Pilate declared his conviction of 
the innocence of the accused (John xviii, 38 Luke xxiii, 4). This was the 
signal for a furious clamor of the chief priests and members of the Sanhe- 
drin, and they accused our Lord of many things (Luke xxiii, 5). The last 
clause of the verse is omitted in the R. V. , the only important MSS. contain- 
ing it being the Alexandrian. 

4:. And Pilate asked] The renewed accusations led to further questions 
from Pilate, but Jesus was silent and Pilate amazed, and confident of his 
innocence, proposed to release him ? as it was Jiis custom to release one at the 



Mark XY, 6-10.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



191 



Kevised Version. 

6 Now at x the feast he used to release unto 
thein one prisoner, whom they asked of him. 

7 And there was one called Barabbas, lyiug 
bound with them that had made insurrection, 
men who in the insurrection had committed 

8 murder. And the multitude went up and 
began to ask him to do as he was wont to do 

9 unto them. And Pilate answered them, say- 
ing, Will ye that I release unto you the King 

10 of the Jews ? For he perceived that for envy 



Authorized Version. 

6 Now at that feast he released unto them one 
prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 

7 And there was one named Barabbas, which 
lay bound with them that had made insurrection 
with him, who had committed murder in the in- 
surrection. 

8 And the multitude crying aloud began to 
desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 

9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye 
that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 

10 For he knew that the chief priests had de- 
livered him for envy. 

1 Or, a feast 

feast. Mark omits the examination before Herod. It was not u many 
things" stated by the witnesses, as the A. V. implies, but the many accusa- 
tions of the priests, as the R. V. reads, that Pilate referred to in his question. 

6. Now at that feast] '' every feast. " See R. V. The limitation, of the 
custom to the feast of the passover in the A. V. is not required by the origi- 
nal words, nor by the parallel in John xviii, 39. The original for " released" 
implies not a single act only, but a custom. The origin of the custom is un- 
known. It may have been of Jewish origin, and continued by the Roman 
governors from motives of policy. Even the Romans were accustomed, at the 
Lectistemia and Bacchanalia, occasionally to allow an amnesty for criminals. 

7. one named Barabbas] He was a celebrated robber, a rebel and mur- 
derer. See Luke xxiii, 19 ; John xviii, 40. The description indicates that 
he was a Zealot, and as an insurgent against the Romans, he was esteemed by 
the Jewish rulers as a patriot and a hero; in three MSS of Matt, xxvii, 10, his 
name is given as "Jesus Bar-abbas ," and this reading is supported by the 
Armenian and Syriac Versions and is cited by Origen. Some regard this fact 
of two criminals of the same name — Jesus — hinted at in John xviii, 40. 

them that had made insurrection] Barabbas had led one of the numerous 
and bloody insurrections against the Roman power. 

8. crying aloud] The R. V. has " went up," which is after the best 
text. The evangelist notes that at this point the multitude came to make re- 
quest for the usual release of some prisoner ; the Jewish rulers were prepared 
for this exigency, and finally persuaded the people to ask for Barabbas instead 
of Jesus. 

9. Pilate answered them] Pilate may have wished, but could hardly 
have expected that the rulers would accept his proposal to release Jesus. He 
might have expected that there would be a large popular faction in favor of it. 
The form of the question implies only a half hope of a favorable answer. 

10. for envy] Knowing, or perceiving the envy of the rulers and chief 
priests, Pilate may have thought that he could procure the release of Jesus 
by appealing direct to tire multitude. If so, he was disappointed, for the 
chief priests held the multitude under their influence, by using very energetic 
measures to stir up public feeling, as Matthew implies. 

Pilate made three distinct attempts to secure the consent of the Jewish 
rulers to a release of Jesus after he had required them to state the charge on 
which they asked his condemnation, though the " order " of the efforts is not 
the same in all the evangelists. The attempts may be arranged as follows : 

(1) After examining the charge that Jesus is a King, and finding the kingdom is 
a spiritual one, Pilate declared him innocent of a civil offence (Luke xxiii, 4). 

(2) After the return from Herod, Pilate proposes, after chastising him, to re- 
lease Jesus, in accordance with custom, at the feast (Luke xxiii, 13-16 ; 
Mark xv, 6-10 ; Matt, xxvii, 15-17 ; John xviii, 39). (3) After the choice 
of Barabbas, and the message from Pilate's wife (Matt, xxvii, 20-26; Mark 



192 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mabk XV, 11-15. 

Authorized Version. i Revised Version. 



11 But the chief priests moved the people, that 
he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 

12 And Pilate answered and said again unto 
them, What will ye then that I shall do unto 



11 the chief priests had delivered him up. But 
the chief priests stirred up the multitude, 
that he should rather release Barabbas unto 

12 them. And Pilate again answered and 6aid 



Aim whom ye call the King of the Jews? unto them, What then shall I do unto him 

13 And they cried out again, Crucify him. | 13 whom ye call the King of the Jews? And 

14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil ] 14 they cried out again, Crucify him. And Pi- 
hath be done? And they cried out the more ! late said unto them, Why, what evil hath he 
exceedingly, Crucify him. j done ? But they cried out exceedingly, Cru- 

15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, 15 cify him. And Pilate, wishing to content the 
released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Je- \ multitude, released unto them Barabbas, and 

xv, 11-15 ; Luke xxiii, 18-23 ; John xviii, 40), when the Jews threatened to 
impeach him at Rome, for not being Caesar's friend if he released Jesus 
(John xix, 12); Pilate at last yielded. He was baffled by the superior 
shrewdness of the Jewish rulers. 

11. the chief priests moved] Pilate received a message from his wife im- 
ploring him to have nothing to do with "that just person" (Matt, xxvii, 19). 
He resolved to effect a release. But the chief priests stirred up the people, and 
urged them to choose Barabbas, the patriot leader, the zealot for their coun- 
try, the champion against oppression. The word translated "moved" de- 
notes (1) to shake to and fro, to brandish; (2) to make threatening gestures ; 
(3) to stir up or instigate. The people did not regard Barabbas as a common 
murderer, but a patriot ; hence, there was nothing low or infamous in the 
motives of the multitude in accepting Barabbas. Their patriotism was ap- 
pealed to by the proposition of the rulers ; but the rulers were actuated by 
bad motives in prompting the people to this choice. 

12. What will ye~\ Some think this question put in disdain and anger 
at their fickleness, and at the failure of his efforts to stem the torrent. 

whom ye call the King of the Jews'] Lachmann and Tregelles omit ' ' him 
whom ye call. ' ' Their reading is a strong incidental proof of the real charge 
Pilate understood the priests to bring against Jesus. 

13. Crucify him] Crucifixion was a Roman, not a Jewish mode of pun- 
ishment. Why, then, did the Jewish multitude fix on such a mode ? Some 
answer, because the punishment for Barabbas would have been crucifixion, 
and they put Jesus in his place. 

14. And they cried out the more] See R. V. The cry was kept up, un- 
broken, Away with this man, Crucify Him 1 Crucify Him 1 In vain Pilate 
expostulated. In vain he washed his hands openly before them all (Matt, 
xxvii, 24) in token of his conviction of the perfect innocence of the accused. 
The mob, under artful leaders, carried the point against the vacillating procu- 
rator. 

15. Pilate.. .to content the people] or satisfy. This shows that Pilate did 
not accede to the justice of the sentence, but yielded to popular clamor. The 
' ' willing " or " wishing ' ' implies more than simple yielding, and includes an 
earnest wish to satisfy the popular demand. Felix and Festus also tried to 
please the Jews, by their treatment of Paul, Acts xxiv, 27; xxv, 9. "Would 
to God" exclaims Calvin, "that the world were not now filled with many 
Pilates!" Time-serving rulers are the curse of any nation, and among the 
greatest enemies to the cause of truth. Irresolution had gone too far, and 
he could not retrace his steps. He released Barabbas to content the people. 
There is little ground for supposing, as some do, that Pilate still hoped ^ to 
compromise and satisfy the populace and the rulers by simply scourging 
Jesus. The scourging was the common prelude to crucifixion, and in doing 
it, Pilate shows that he had given up Jesus, to death, as the whole narrative 
also implies, 



Mark XV, 16, 17.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 193 



delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, 
to be crucified. 

16 And the soldiers led him away within the 
court, which is the * Praetorium ; and they 

17 call together the whole 2 band. And they 



Authorized Version. Revised Version, 

bus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 

16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, 
called Pretorium; and they call together the 
whole band. 

17 And they clothed him with purple, and 

1 Or, palace 2 Or, cohort 

when he had scourged him] usually the scourging before crucifixion was 
inflicted by lictors (Livy, xxxiii, 36; Jos. Bell. Jud. ii, 14, 9 ; v. ii, 1). The 
criminal was bound firmly to a post, or column, his hands tied, his back laid 
bare, and the scourge made of three thongs of leather or small cords ; and 
sometimes iron points or bits of lead were at the end of the thongs, to make 
the punishment more severe. Nineteen strokes of this scourge were equal to 
thirty nine lashes, and under the Mosaic law, not more than forty could be given. 
(Deut. xxv, l-3j. Paul receivedthirty-nine. (2 Cor. xi, 24). Many died under 
this terrible punishment. Pilate had no lictors and therefore the punishment 
was inflicted by soldiers. He had once proposed this punishment, and then the 
release of Jesus (Luke xxiii, 16). The soldiers added mockery to the scourging, 
and hence probably fulfilled their duty in all the usual severity. They would 
seize the opportunity to repay a grudge against the Jews, for insurrectionary 
and dangerous acts. 

to be crucified] " If thou let this man go," they cried, "thou art not 
Caesar's friend : whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar " 
(John xix, 12). This crafty, well-chosen cry roused all Pilate's fears. He 
could only too well divine the consequences if they accused him of sparing a 

Prisoner who had been accused of treason before the gloomy, suspicious 
'iberius. He gave the word, "Ibis ad crucem," which was the customary 
form, " Let him be crucified' 1 '' (John xix, 16); so the struggle was over. 
John, it is to be observed, mentions the scourging as one of Pilate's final at- 
tempts to release Jesus. Mark, like Matthew, looks upon it as the first act 
in the awful tragedy of the crucifixion. Both views are equally true. The 
scourging should have moved the people ; it only led them to greater obdu- 
racy ; it proved, as Mark brings out, the opening scene in the crucifixion. 
See Andrews and Farrar. 

16—24:. Mockery of the Soldiers. Wat to the Cross. 
(Friday, 15th Nisan, 783, April 7 (?) A. D. 30.) 

16. the hall called Prodorium] " in to the floor of the moot hall. " — Wye- 
lif. The building here alluded to is called by three of the evangelists the 
Prcetorium. In the King James Version the Greek word is variously ren- 
dered: as "commonhall" (Matt, xxvii, 27); margin, "governor's house," 
"hall of judgment," and "judgment hall," (Acts xxiii, 35; John xviii, 28, 
33, and xix, 9), margin, "Pilate's house" and "palace " (Phil, i, 13). It 
is a marked example of the unwarrantable differences introduced by King 
James' translators. The R. V. reads "palace" uniformly, except in Phil, 
i, 13 ; with the Greek " praetorium " in the margin. There is some question, 
however, whether the word in Mark means the palace or the court, though 
the weight of authority inclines to i ' palace. ' ' 

the whole band] the word translated ' ' band ' ' is applied to the detach- 
ment brought by Judas (John xviii, 3), and occurs again, Acts x, 1 ; xxi, 31 ; 
xxvii, 1. It signifies a whole Roman cohort of soldiers, but the number of 
soldiers in a cohort often varied. 

17. clothed him with purple] instead of the white robe, with which Herod 
had mocked him, they threw around him a scarlet sagum, or soldier's cloak. 
Matthew (xxvii, 28) calls it" a scarlet robe;" John (xix, 2) "a purple robe. 1,1 
It was a war-cloak, such as princes, generals, and soldiers wore ; " probably 

13 



194 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark XV, 18-21. 



Revised Version. 
clothe him with purple, and plaitinga crown 

18 of thorns, they put it on him ; and They be- 
gan to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews ! 

19 And they smote his head with a reed, and 
did spit upon him, and bowing their knees 

20 worshipped him. And when they had 
mocked him, they took off from him the pur- 
ple, and put on him his garments. And they 
lead him out to crucify him. 

21 And they x compel one passing by, Simon 



Authorized Version. 
platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his 
head, 

18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the 
Jews! 

19 And they smote him on the head with a 
reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their 
knees worshipped him. 

20 And when they had mocked him, they took 
off the purple from him, and put his own clothes 
on him, and led him out to crucify him. 

21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, 
who passed by, coming out of the country, the 

1 Gr. impress. 

a cast-off robe of state out of the praetorian wardrobe," a burlesque of the 
long and fine purple robe worn only by the Emperor. — Lange. 

a crown of thorns] formed probably of the thorny nctbk, which yet "grows 
on dwarf bushes outsidethe walls of Jerusalem;" it was placed about his head 
in mimicry of the laurel and myrtle wreaths worn by victors at games, or by 
royal persons. The Jews derided Jesus for his prophetic reputation, and the 
Romans for his regal claims. 

19. smote him] began to smite or kept smiting him. 

with a reed] The same which they had already put into his hands as a 
sceptre. All this was harsh and cruel mockery. 

20. and led him out] The place of execution was without the gates of the 
city, as was customary in such cases. See Lev. xxiv, 14 ; Naboth, 1 Kings 
xxi, 13 ; and Stephen, Acts vii, 58. An old tradition says he was led along 
the Via Dolorosa ; but if the trial was at Herod's palace, which is very prob- 
able, he could not have gone by that street. In what direction they led him, 
or where Pilate held his court, or where Golgotha was situated, is unsettled. 
Those who believe that Pilate's court was in the castle of Antonia, and that 
Golgotha was where the present Church of the Holy Sepulchre stands, also 
believe he was led along the Via Dolorosa, according to tradition. Those who 
hold that Pilate held his court in Herod's palace (as most recent critics), and 
that the true site of Calvary is not at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but 
without the city, probably near the Grotto of Jeremiah (as Bishop Gobat, 
Schick, SchafF, Howe, and Conder), hold that Jesus was led out northward 
instead of westward, but do not attempt to fix the precise route. 

21. they compel] The condemned were usually obliged to carry either the 
entire cross, or the cross-beams fastened together like the letter V, with their 
arms bound to the projecting ends. Hence the term furcifer= "cross-bear- 
er." The original word translated " compel " is a Persian word adopted by 
the Greeks, and signified the compulsory employment of men and beasts by 
the royal couriers, and thus any forced assistance. 

Simon a Cyrenian] Cyrene was a city in northern Africa, where there 
dwelt many Hellenistic Jews, who had a synagogue in Jerusalem (Acts ii, 10; 
vi, 9. Some conjecture that he was a merchant. As he was passing from the 
country (literally, the field) to the city, he appears to have been taken at ran- 
dom. John says Jesus bore his cross; and both statements may be explained 
as true, by supposing tnat Jesus bore the cross part of the way, perhaps to the 
gate, and then sinking down, from exhaustion, they compel Simon to bear it. 
Or, as Alexander suggests, Simon may have borne one end of it with Jesus. 
The former seems the most likely (Luke xxiii, 26). 

the father of Alexander and Rufus] Mark alone adds this. The mention 
of his two sons implies that they were well known at the time Mark wrote. 
Paul speaks of Rufus and his mother (Rom. xvi, 13), possibly the same per*, 
son ; rolycarp also names a Rufus, who was a noted martyr. 



Mark XV, 22, 23. 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



195 



Revised Version. 
of Cyrene, coming from the country, the 



Authorized Version. 
father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross 

22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, ] father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with 
which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. ; 22 them, that he might bear his cross. And they 

23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled j bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, 
with myrrh: but he received it not. j 23 being interpreted, The place of a skull. And 

to bear his cross] On a white tablet, called in Latin titulus, the reason for 
the punishment was declared (Sueton. Calig. 32). It was borne either sus- 
pended from the neck, or carried before the sufferer. Simon may have borne 
both title and cross. The traditional story about the finding of the cross by 
Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, in A. D. 326, under the temple of 
Venus, said to have been built over Golgotha by the hatred of the heathen, 
and to blot out the traces of Christ's death, is as untrustworthy as the story 
that on finding three crosses the true one was distinguished by bringing a sick 
person, who was cured when she touched one of the three, and this was 
declared to be the cross on which Christ was crucified. There is wood enough 
in existence, claimed to be parts of the true cross, to make a hundred real 
crosses ! 

22. bring him] literally "they bear him," or it may be rendered "lead 
him." In other passages it generally implies an infirmity or weakness in 
the person brought, and hence some understand that Jesus, from the awful 
scourging, had become too weak to walk, and sinking down, was borne to the 
place. If the trial was at Herod's palace on Mount Zion, he could not have 
passed along the Via Doloroso, as tradition, reaching to the 14th century only, 
declares. 

the place Golgotha] Mark interprets the Hebrew word " Golgotha." Luke 
omits it altogether. It was (1) apparently a well-known spot; (2) outside 
the gate (comp. Heb. xiii, 12) ; but (3) near the city (John xix, 20) ; (4) 
near a thoroughfare (Matt, xxvii, 39); (5) near a "garden" or "orchard" 
(John xix, 41). From the Vulgate rendering of Luke xxiii, 33, "qui vocatur 
Calvaries" (=a bare skull, "the place of Caluarie" Wyclif), the word 
Calvary has been introduced into the English Version (Luke xxiii, 33), ob- 
scuring the meaning of the Evangelist.* The name probably refers to the 
rounded or skull-shaped form of the 
spot ; it is not likely to come from skulls 
of malefactors scattered about, for the 
Jews always buried them. There is no 
Scriptural ground for calling it ' ' Mount ' ' 
Calvary. 

23. wine mingled with myrrh] Light- 
foot says (Hor. Heb. ii, 366), it was a 
special task of wealthy ladies at Jerusa- 
lem to provide this portion. The cus- 
tom was founded on a Rabbinic gloss on 
Proverbs xxxi, 6, " Give strong drink 
unto him that is ready to perish, and 
mine unto those that be of heavy hearts." 
It was a sour wine or vinegar (Matt, 
xxvii, 34). The drink was a strong 
narcotic, intended to stupefy, and so 
lessen the suffering. They offered it, 
see R. V. and Matt, xxvii, 34, and un- 
consciously fulfilled prophecy. (Ps. 

lxix, 21). iax»j«i. 

* J. A. Alexander makes a remarkable mis-statement under this verse, to wit : " Calvary, a 
wofd familiar to us by tradition, although not used in the English Bible." It is used not only in 




196 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark XV, 24, 25. 



Authorized Version. 

24 And when they had crucified him, they 
parted his garments, casting lots upon them, 
what every man should take. 

25 And it was the third hour, and they cruci- 
fied him. 



Revised Version. 
they offered him wine mingled with myrrh : 

24 but he received it not. And they crucify him, 
and part his garments among them, casting 

25 lots upon them, what each should take. And 
it was the third hour, and they crucified him. 




THREE FORMS OF THE CROSS. 



but he received it not] the two malefactors, who were led forth with him, 
probably partook of it, butiie would take nothing to cloud his faculties.— 
Maclear. 

r-\ . . 24. when they had crucified him] or 

I I . I I JL ^hey cruc tfy hi m an d part hi> s garments 

I <^\ /*} among them. See R.V. There were four 

kinds of crosses, (1) the crux simplex, a 
single stake driven through the chest or 
longitudinally through the body ; (2) the 
crux decussata (X) j (3) the crux immissa 
(f) ; and (4) the crux commissa (T)- 
From the mention of the title placed oyer 
the Saviour's head, it is probable that his 
cross was of the third kind, and that he was 
laid upon it either while it was on the 
ground, or lifted and fastened to it as it stood upright, his arms stretched out 
along the two cross-beams, and his body resting on a little projection, sedile, 
a foot or two above the earth. That his feet were nailed as well as his hands 
is apparent from Luke xxiv, 39, 40. The cross was not such a high pole as 
most pictures represent it to be. The body of the crucified was raised only 
a little above the ground, as already noted. See Andrews' Lifeof Our Lord, 
they parted] i.e. the soldiers, a party of four with a centurion (Acts xii, 
4), for each sufferer, detailed, according to the Roman custom, ad excubias, 
to mount guard, and see that the bodies were not taken away. 

casting lots] the garments of the crucified belonged to them by law or by 
custom. The soldiers took only their rights and their usual method of decid • 
ing how the distribution should be made. It fulfilled prophecy, Ps, 
xxii, 18. 

what every man should take] the clothes fell to the soldiers as part of 
their perquisites. The inner garment, like the robes of the priests, was with- 
out seam, woven from the top throughout (John xix, 23). It would have been 
destroyed by rending, hence they cast lots for it, unconsciously fulfilling the 
words of the Psalmist, They parted my raiment among them, and for my 
vesture did they cast lots (Ps. xxii, 18). 

25-38. The Death. 
(Friday, 15th Nisan, 783, April 7th, (?) A.D. 30. 
25. it was the third hour] or nine o' clock ; John says ' ' sixth hour. ' ' 
There are three leading explanations of this apparent discrepancy. (1) that 
John refers to a different incident, i.e. the preparation or the close of a period 
of time roughly noted and called the " sixth hour," while Mark notes the 
beginning ; so Calvin and Ewald. (2) That John writing in Asia Minor used 
the Roman official mode of reckoning from midnight to midnight instead of 
the Jewish from sunset to sunset ; so Ebrard, Hug, Olshausen, Tholuck, 



the King James Version of 1611, but also in Wyclif s, Tyndale's, and several other English versions, 
of Luke xxiii, 33. On a supposed site of Calvary, the Empress Helena caused a church to be erected, 
about A. D. 326, displacing (it is said), a temple of Venus built under Adrian. Whether this was 
the true site of Calvary is disputed; the Weight of evidence is againgt the view that the Holy 
Sepulchre now covers the true Calvary, 



Mabk XT, 26-31.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



197 



Revised Version. 

26 And the superscription of his accusation was 
written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

27 And with him they crucify two robbers ; one 

29 on his right hand, and one on his left. 1 And 
they that passed by railed on him, wagging 
their heads, and saying, Ha ! thou that de- 
stroyest the 2 temple, andbuildestit in three 

30 days, save thyself, and come down from the 

31 cross. In like manner also the chief priests 
mocking him among themselves with the 



Ovrdg- eonv 'Itjgovc 6 BaoiXev^ t&v 'Iovdaiov. 
Rex Judceorum. 



Authorized Version. 

26 And the superscription of his accusation was 
written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

27 And with him they crucify two thieves ; the 
one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 

28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which 
saith, And he was numbered with the trans- 
gressors. 

29 And they that passed by railed on him, 
wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that 
destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three 
days, 

30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 

31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking 

1 Many ancient authorities insert ver. 28, And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he wat 
reckoned with transgressors. See Luke xxii, 37. 2 Or, sanctuary 

Wordsworth and others. (3) That it is a copyist's mistake of the Greek sign 
for 6, instead of a 3. The two signs somewhat resemble each other. So 
Bengel, Beza, Eusebius and Robinson. None of these are entirely satisfac- 
tory ; the second is, on the whole, to be preferred. 

26. And the superscription] " and the title of his cause was written". — 
Wyclif. The cause of execution was generally inscribed on a white tablet, 
titalus, smeared with gypsum. 

The King of the Jews] writ- 
ten in three languages, Latin, 
Greek and Hebrew or Aramaic. 

The official Latin would 
naturally come first — " The 
King of the Jews ;" the Greek, 
as read by Hellenists next, — 
" This is Jesus, the King of the Jews ;" and the Aramaic last, — "Jesus the 
Nazarene, King of the Jews." The three are given, the Hebrew by John, 
the Greek by Matthew, and the Latin by Mark. This may account for the 
slight variations in the form. For the endeavor of the Jewish high priest to 
get the title altered, see John xix, 21, 22. 

27. two thieves'] or malefactors as Luke calls them (xxiii, 33). Some 
conjecture that they belonged to the band of Barabbas and had been engaged 
in one of those fierce and fanatical outbreaks against the Romans which, on 
a large scale or a small, so quickly succeeded one another in the latter days 

" of the Jewish commonwealth. This explains the fact that we read of no 
mockery of them. They were the popular heroes. They realized to some 
degree the popular idea of the Messiah. See Trench's Studies. An old 
tradition gives the names of the thieves as Dimas and Gestas, Dimas being 
the one who was penitent. This tradition is preserved in the apocryphal 
gospel of Nicodemus. 

V. 28 is omitted in the best MSS. The reference in it is to Isaiah liii, 12. 

29. railed on him] "wagging" or shaking their heads, signifying their 
assent to his punishment as just, and also implying that they rejoiced or 
gloated over it. The natural feelings of pity were quenched in the fierce- 
ness of malignant hatred and religious bigotry. 

Ah] "Fyz." — Wyclif. an exclamation of derision = the Latin Vah. 

that destroyest the temple] This remark of our Lord at his cleansing of the 
temple was never forgotten, though its meaning was misrepresented or mis- 
understood. 

31. mocking said] " scornynge him, ech to other, with scribis, seiden." 
— Wyclif. The ordinary bystanders, blaspheme (v. 29), the members of the 
Sanhedrin mock, but with a peculiar venom and sting to their sarcasm. 



198 



people's commentary 



[Mark XV, 32-34. 



Authorized Version. 
said among themselves with the scribes, He 
saved others ; himself he cannot save. 

32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now 
from the cross, that we may 6ee and believe. 
And they that were crucified with him reviled 
him. 

33 And when the sixth hour was come, there 
was darkness over the whole land until the 
ninth hour. 

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a 
loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani? 
which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, 
why hast thou forsaken me? 



Eevised Version. 
scribes said, He saved others ; * himself he 

32 cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of 
Israel, now come down from the cross, that 
we may see and believe. And they that were 
crucified with him reproached him. 

33 And when the sixth hour was come, there 
was darkness over the whole 2 land until the 

34 ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus 
cried with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sa- 
bachthani ? which is, being interpreted, My 
God, my God, 3 why hast thou forsaken me ? 



1 Or, can he not save himself f 2 Or, earth 3 Or, why didst thou forsake me t 

He saved others] They admit his miracles. His bitterest enemies would 
not have admitted this had the fact not been established beyond question. 
It is also worth noting, as an incidental proof of the accuracy of the gospel 
narratives, that all this jeering took place before the miraculous darkness ; 
after that, all mocking, even by enemies, is subdued by a general feeling of 
awe. The priests did not consider if he was the Messiah, as he claimed to be, 
that his death, according to prophecy, would be a far stronger proof of his 
claim than his miraculous descent from the cross. Some authorities read 
this as an interrogation, "He saved others, can he not save himself?" 

32. they that were crucified with him~\ At first both the robbers joined 
in reproaching him. One of them was guilty of blaspheming him (Luke 
xxiii, 39), the other, beholding the meekness and forgiving spirit of Jesus, 
turned in penitence and faith to him (Luke xxiii, 42). When the Eastern 
Empire became Christian, the cross became a symbol of honor. It was en- 
graven on shields, woven into banners, worn as a badge ; was the national 
emblem of nearly all European countries during the crusades. 

33. And when the sixth hour was come'] i.e. 12 o'clock. The clear- 
ness of the Syrian noontide was obscured, and darkness settled over the 
4 ' whole land." This may refer to Jerusalem and the surrounding country 
of Judea. So Calvin understands the phrase, and aptly suggests that if the 
darkness covered Judea only, while the sun was shining elsewhere, the 
miracle would be more striking than universal darkness over the whole 
world. It is impossible to explain away the origin of this darkness. The 

, passover moon was then at the full, so that it could not have been an eclipse. 
The Pharisees had often asked for a " sign from heaven." Now one was 
granted them, calculated to strike terror and awe into the stoutest heart. 

until the ninth hour] i. e. till 3 o'clock. A veil hides from us the inci- 
dents of these three hours, and all the details of what our Lord, shrouded 
in the supernatural gloom, underwent " for us men and for our salvation." 

34. And at the ninth hour] the hour of the offering of the evening sacrifice. 
Eloi ! Eloi !] Mark gives the Aramaic form, and this is the only one of 

the ' ' seven words ' ' or utterances from the cross which Mark records. The 
Sinaitic MSS. reads, "lema" for "lama;" the sense is the same. This 
expression apparently of despair, is variously explained. Some, as Calvin, 
suggest that it was the weakness of the flesh crying out under the awful sense 
of the load of sin, coming upon the Saviour, as if God had forsaken him, 
and yet implying that he still relied on God, as David, " though he slay me, 
yet will I trust in him." The cry cannot be regarded as arising from physi- 
cal causes alone, but must have some mysterious significance from the sin of, 
and spiritual death due to, the whole race, which came upon him in this terri- 
ble hour. 

Of the " seven words" from the cross, the first three referred to others, 



Mark XV, 35-38.] ON THE GOSPEL OP MARK. 199 

Authorized Version. Kevised Version. 

35 And some of them that stood by, when they 35 And some of them that stood by, when they 
heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36 heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elijah. And 

36 And one ran and filled a sponge full of vin- one ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, 
egar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to i put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, say- 
drink, saying, Let alone : let us see whether j ing, Let be ; let us see whether Elijah cometh 
Elias will come to take him down. 37 to take him down. And Jesus uttered a loud 



38 voice, and gave up the ghost. And the vail 
of the l temple was rent in twain from the 



37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave 
up the ghost. 

38 And the vail of the temple was rent in twain 
from the top to the bottom. 

1 Or, sanctuary 

(1) his murderers, (2) the penitent malefactor, (3) his earthly mother ; the 
next three referred to his own mysterious and awful conflict, (1) his loneli- 
ness, (2) his sense of thirst, (3) his work now all but ended ; the seventh 
commends his soul into his Father's hands. 

35. Behold, he calleth Ellas'] Some regard this as a real misapprehen- 
sion of his words. Buchanan in his Researches supposes that the exclamation 
was mistaken for ' ' HiV ' or " Hila ' ' which he says was old Syriac for 
vinegar. Others conjecture that it was mistaken for Elias ; but most inter- 
preters hold that it was an ironical and sarcastic remark, arising from an 
affected misapprehension. 

36. full of vinegar'] Burning thirst is the most painful aggravation of 
death by crucifixion, and it was as he uttered the words, " I thirst " that the 
soldiers ran and filled a sponge with vinegar, or the sour wine-and-water 
called posca, the ordinary drink of the Roman soldiers. 

and put it on a reed] i. e. on the short stem of a hvssop-plant (John xix, 
29). 

Let alone] This was a wicked and cruel jest, if the interpretation of the 
previous verse as irony, is accepted. According to Mark, the man himself 
cries " Let be ;" according to Matthew, the others cry out thus to him as he 
offers the drink ; according to John, several filled the sponge with the sour 
wine. Combining the statements together, we have a natural and accurate 
picture of an excitement under such circumstances, everyone calling out with 
advice or direction. 

37. And Jesus cried with a loud voice] saying, " It is finished."' The three 
evangelists all dwell upon the loudness of the cry. Some think it implied the 
triumphant note of a conqueror. 

and gave up the ghost] ' ' There may be something intentional 
in the fact that in describing the death of Christ the evangelists do not 
use the neuter verb, * davsv,' but the phrases, ' He gave up the ghost" 1 
(Mark xv, 37 ; Luke xxiii, 46 ; John xix, 30) ; ' He yielded up the ghost ' 
(Matt, xxvii, 50) ; as though they would imply, with Augustine, that he gave 
up his life, ' quia voluit, quando voluit, quomodovoluit.' 1 Comp. John x, 18." 
— Farrar. This phrase, "gave up the ghost," is not a strict rendering of 
the one Greek word representing it. It is an English idiomatic paraphrase, 
for the Greek "breathed out," or expired. 

the ghost] ghost, from the A. S. gdst, G. geist, = spirit, breath, opposed 
to body. " The word has now acquired a kind of hallowed use, and is ap- 
plied to one Spirit only, but was once common." — Bible Word-Book. 

38. And the vail of the temple] the beautiful, thick, costly veil of purple 
and gold, inwrought with figures of Cherubim, and twenty feet long and thirty 
broad, which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy. 

was rent in twain] for the full symbolism of this see Heb. ix, 3 ; x, 19. 
For the earthquake which now shook the city, see Matt, xxvii, 51. Such an 
event must have made a profound impression, and perhaps was the first step 



200 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY' 



tMARK XV, 39, 40 



Revised Version. 

39 top to the bottom. And when the centurion, 
which sto^d over against him, 6aw that he 
1 so gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this 

40 man was 2 the son of God. And there were 
also women beholding from afar: among 
whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary 
the mother of James the 3 less and of Joses, 



Authorized Version. 

39 And when the centurion, which stood over 
against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave 
up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the 
Son of God. 

40 There were also women looking on afar off: 
among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary 
the mother of James the less and of Joses, and 
Salome ; 

1 Many ancient authorities read so cried out, and gave up the ghost. 2 Or, a son of God 3 Gr. little. 

towards the change of feeling which afterwards led a great number of " the 
priests to become obedient to the faith" (Acts vi, 7). 

39—41. The Confession of the Centurion. 

39. when the centurion] he usually commanded a hundred men, but the 
term was applied somewhat widely to subordinate 
officers of a Roman legion. This centurion had in 
charge the execution, and with him a quaternion 
of soldiers. 

that he so cried out] The words ' ' cried out and' ' 
are omitted in the R. V. The spirit and conduct 
of Jesus, the darkness, and the manner of his 
death, convinced the stern Roman. Death he 
must have often witnessed, on the battle-field, in 
the amphitheatre at Caesarea, in tumultuous insur- 
rections in Palestine, but never b.efore had he been 
confronted with the majesty of a death undergone 
for the salvation of the world. 

the Son of God] or u a son of God;" but 
whether he said " the" or " a " cannot be deter- 
mined, for the Latin, in which he doubtless spoke, 
has no definite article. In an ecstacy of awe and 
wonder " he glorified God." li Certainly this was 
a righteous man" (Luke xxiii, 47) ; nay, he went 
further and declared, " This man was a (or the) 
Son of God. ' ' The centurion may have heard the 
mysterious declaration of the Jews, that by their 
Law the Holy One ought to die, because he made 
himself the Son of God (John xix, 7). "Together with the centurion at 
Capernaum (Matt, viii), and Cornelius at Cassarea (Acts x), he forms in the 
Gospel and Apostolic histories," says Maclear, " a triumvirate of believing 
Gentile soldiers." But others, as Calvin, do not think the centurion became 
a believer, but only was struck with awe at the extraordinary display of God's 
power, a feeling which soon ends in indifference, when the cause of the fear 
passes away. 

40. Mary Magdalene] out of whom had gone forth seven demons (Luke 
viii, 2). This is the first time she is mentioned by Mark. She is not to be 
confounded with the nameless sinner in Luke vii, 37. The popular use of 
il Magdalen" to describe harlots is a gratuitous assumption, founded on an 
unwarrantable mis-interpretation of Scripture. 

Mary the mother of James the less] Some, as Schaff, hold that this Mary 
was not the sister of our Lord's mother, but that Salome was ; others think 
that this Mary, the mother of James, was the sister of our Lord, and the same 
as Mary of Clopas. Comp. John xix, 25 ; Matt, xxvii, 56. The first view 
seems most probable, and also that James, son of Alpheus, was not identical 
with James the brother of our Lord. 

James the less] Those who regard this James as the same who presided at 




ROMAN CENTURION. 



Mabk XV, 41-44.] 



ON" THE GOSPEL OP MASK. 



201 



Authorized Version. 

41 Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed 
him, and ministered unto him; and many other 
women which came up with him unto Jerusa- 
lem. 

42 And now when the even was come, because 
it was the preparation, that is, the day before 
the sabbath, 

43 Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable coun- 
sellor, which also waited for the kingdom of 
God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and 
craved the body of Jesus. 

44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already 
dead : and calling unto him the centurion, he 



Revised Version. 

41 and Salome ; who, when he was in Galilee, 
followed him, and ministered unto him ; and 
many other women which came up with him 
unto Jeruaalem. 

42 And when even was now come, because it 
was the Preparation, that is, the day before 

43 the sabbath, there came Joseph of Arima- 
thaea, a councillor of honourable estate, who 
also himself was looking for the kingdom of 
God; and he boldly went in unto Pilate, and 

44 asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate 
marvelled if he were already dead : and call- 



the council in Jerusalem (Acts xv, 13), think he may have assumed the title 
in humility, and out of deference to the martyred James. The evidence that 
he was the same James is altogether insufficient. James the son of Zebedee 
had been put to death long before Mark wrote his gospel, and this title, 
"James the less," or the little, was used to distinguish him from " James 
the Just," the brother of our Lord. So Schaff and others understand the 
phrase. 

Practical Lessons. — "Look at the serpent," says Augustine, "that the 
serpent may not harm you. Look at death, that death may not hurt you. 
But at whose death ? At the death of him who is the life. Christ, our life, 
died on the cross, and in his death, death died ; Life, by dying, destroyed 
death; Life, by dying, swallowed up death: death died in Christ." The 
following was found written in Dr. Bethune's Greek Testament: 
" God, pardon what I have been, 

Sanctify what I am, 

Order what I shall be, 

And thine shall be the glory, 

And mine the eternal salvation, 

Through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. 11 
42—47. The Burial. 

42. the preparation] i. e., for the Sabbath, which Mark, writing for other 
readers than Jews, explains as " the day before the Sabbath." 

43. Joseph of' Arimathcea~] The place is called in the LXX ' ' Arma- 
thaim," and by Josephus " Armathia." Joseph was a man of wealth (Matt, 
xxvii, 57), and from being called " honorable counsellor," it is inferred that 
he was a member of the Sanhedrin (Luke xxiii, 50), and a secret disciple of 
Jesus (John xix, 38), who had not consented to the death of Jesus (Luke 
xxiii, 51). 

waited for the kingdom] like Simeon (Luke ii, 25), and Anna (Luke ii, 36). 

went in boldly] No longer a secret disciple, he casts away all fear. The 
cross transfigures cowards into heroes. " It was no light matter Joseph had 
undertaken : for to take part in a burial, at any time, would defile him for 
seven days, and make everything unclean which he touched (Num. xix, 
11 ; Hag. ii, 13) ; and to do so now involved his seclusion through the whole 
Passover week — with all its holy observances and rejoicings." — Geikie. In 
the so-called "Acts of Pilate," it is said the Sanhedrin caused Joseph to be 
imprisoned for this act of love. 

craved the body of Jesus] The Roman custom was to let the bodies of 
criminals moulder and rot on the cross. — Cic. Tusc. Quoest. 1, 43 ; or be de- 
voured by wild beasts, Hor. Epist. xvi, 48. Jewish law, however, did not 
allow such barbarities, and the Roman rulers had made an express exception 
in their favor. 

44. And Pilate marvelled] death by crucifixion did not generally come 



202 



people's commentary 



[Mark XT, 45-4*7. 



Authorized Version. 
asked him whether he had heen any while 
dead. 

45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he 
gave the body to Joseph. 

46 And he bought fine linen, and took him 
down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid 
him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a 
rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the 
sepulchre. 

47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother 
of Joses beheld where he was laid. 



Revised Version. 
ing unto him the centurion, he asked him 

45 whether he 1 had been any while dead. And 
when he learned it of the centurion, he 

46 granted the corpse to Joseph. And he bought 
a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound 
him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a 
tomb which had been hewn out of a rock ; 
and he rolled a stone against the door of the 

47 tomb. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the 
mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. 



1 Many ancient authorities read were already dead. 

even for three days, and thirty-six hours is said to be the earliest period when 
it would be thus brought about. Pilate, therefore, marvelled at the request 
of Joseph, and called for the evidence of the centurion to assure himself. 

45. he gave the body to Joseph] The word translated ' ' gave ' ' only occurs 
in the New Testament here and in 2 Peter i, 3, 4. It appears to be used 
designedly by Mark, implying that Pilate, who from his character might have 
expected a bribe from the wealthy " counsellor," freely gave up the body, an 
unusual act for him. 

46. And he bought fine linen] having secured the body, and the linen, 
with Nicodemus, formerly a secret disciple like himself, and who brought a 
mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight (John xix, 39), 
he proposed to remove the body to the tomb. 

wrapped him in the linen] Thus assisted, Joseph took down the body, laid 
it in the fine linen, and sprinkled the myrrh and aloes among the folds. 

a sepulchre] a new one which he had hewn out of the limestone rock in a 
garden he possessed hard by Golgotha (John xix, 41). The precise location 
of the sepulchre, like the site of Calvary, is sharply disputed. The topo- 
graphical arguments are strongly against the traditional site, under the 
church of the Holy Sepulchre ; but the historical arguments are certainly less 
decided against it, indeed, they are the chief arguments in its favor. The 
testimony of Eusebius is regarded as strongly favoring the traditional view. 
But consult SchaflPs Diet, of the Bible for a summary of the arguments on 
both sides. 

rolled a stone] of large size (Matt, xxvii, 60) to the horizontal entrance, 
and this stone was sealed with an official seal, and a military guard set before 
it, to prevent any removal of the body, and ground for a false report of his 
resurrection. Lewin infers from the narratives that the stone was circular, 
rolling in a groove cut in the rock in front of the cave tomb, such as may 
now be seen at the ll Tombs of the Kings" near Jerusalem. 

47. Mary Magdalene] and Mary the mother of Joses, the same as in v. 
40, and the other women (Luke xxiii, 55), " beheld," i. e. observed carefully, 
the place where he was laid. 

Practical Suggestions. — u For this very reason we believe; because Christ 
did not come down from the cross." — Bengel. "He had come into the 
world to save others, regardless of himself" — Ellicott. "Such was the 
honorable nature of the title, saith Baur, that in the midst of death Christ 
began to triumph by it. The cross began to change its own nature ; and, 
instead of an engine of torture, it became a throne of majesty." — Flavel. 
u The cross is always ready and waits for thee in every place ; run where 
thou wilt thou canst not avoid it. Turn where thou wilt, either to things 
above, or things below ; to that which is within, or that which is without 
thee ; thou wilt in all certainty find the cross ; and if thou wouldst enjoy 
peace, and obtain an unfading crown of glory, it is necessary that in every 



Mark XVI, 1-4.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



203 



16 



Revised Version. 
And when the sabbath was past, Mary 



Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, 
and Salome, bought spices, that they might 

2 come and anoint him. And very early on the 
first day of the week, they come to the tomb 

3 when the sun was risen. And they were 
saying among themselves, Who shall roll 
us away the stone from the door of the tomb? 

4 and looking up.they see that the stone is rolled 



Authorized Veesion. 

CHAP. XVI.— And when the sabbath was 
past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mo- 
ther of James, and Salome, had bought sweet 
spices, that they might come and anoint him. 

2 And very early in the morning, the first day 
of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at 
the rising of the 6un. 

3 And they said among themselves, Who shall 
roll us away the stone from the door of the sep- 
ulchre? 

4 And when they looked, they saw that the 

place, and in all events, thou shouldst bear it willingly, and in patience pos- 
sess thy soul." — Thomas d Kempis. 

Ch. XVI. 1 — 8. The Resurrection. 
(Sunday, 17th Nisan, April 9th, A. D. 30.) 

1* And when the sabbath was past] Friday night, Saturday, and Satur- 
day night passed away, three days according to the Jewish reckoning (comp. 
(a) 1 Sam. xxx, 12, 13 ; 2 Chron. x, 5, 12 ; (b) Matt, xii, 40 ; John ii, 19 ; 
Matt, xxvii, 63. 

bought sweet spices] Meanwhile the women having observed the spot on 
the evening of his burial, had returned, but not to complete the embalming 
of the body, as some infer, for that was the work of physicians, or of special- 
ists, not of women. They brought the spices as a mark of affection, and to 
apply externally, as Mary had done while Jesus was alive. The spices were 
probably "bought" on the previous evening, but after the close of the sab- 
bath, i.e. after sunset. 

2. And very early] while u it was yet dark " (John xx, 1), on the morn- 
ing following the Jewish sabbath. Joseph and Nicodemus had bought an 
hundred weight of myrrh and aloes to use in preparing the body for burial. 
The women had more. As Hackett observes, " cordial love thinks all is 
not done that should be, unless itself be at the doing." 

the first day of the week] the Lord's day (Rev. i, 10), and our Sunday. 

they came] (Observe again the graphic present tense of the evangelist), 
draw near to the tomb. The R. V. endeavors to preserve the distinction of 
the Greek by using ' ' tomb ' ' and ' ' sepulchre ' ' for two similar Greek words. 

3* And they said among themselves] Unaware of the deputation 
of the Jewish rulers, which had gone to Pilate, and secured the 
sealing of the stone and the setting 
of the watch over the tomb (Matt, 
xxvii, 62-66), their only anxiety 
was, who shall roll away the stone 
from the door of the sepulchre. 
Tombs belonging to rich families 
were often large structures, gener- 
ally with a vestibule or open corri- 
dor in front of the opening leading 
to the place where the body was de- 
posited. This inner opening would 
be closed by the large stone. In 
the ' ' Holy Sepulchre ' ' at Jerusa- 
lem^ the ante- chamber is seventeen rolling stonb at the mouth of ait eastebk 
feet in length ; through this is the . tomb. 

entrance to the reputed tomb of Joseph, in which Jesus was laid. 

4. And when they looked] or looking up they saw that all cause of anx- 
iety was removed, for the stone was already rolled away. In their sorrow, 




204 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XVI, 5-7. 

Revised Version. 



back: for it was exceeding great. And enter- 
ing into the tomb, they saw a young man sit- 
ting on the right side, arrayed in a white 
robe ; and they were amazed. And he saith 
unto them, Be not amazed: ye seek Jesus, 
the Nazarene, which hath been crucified : he 
is risen ; he is not here : behold, the place 
where they laid him ! But go, tell his disci- 
ples and Peter, He goeth before you into 
Galilee : there shall ye see him, as he said 






Authorized Version. 
stone was rolled away : for it was very great. 

5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw 
a young man sitting on the right side, clothed 
in a long white garment; and they were af- 
frighted. 

6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: 
ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified : 
he is risen ; he is not here : behold the place 
where they laid him. 

7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter 
that he goeth before you into Galilee: there 
shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 

they would naturally go with downcast countenances, and absorbed in 
thought. Whether the tomb was above them, or on a level with the ground, 
cannot be determined by this expression ; u an accurate and graphic detail." 
for it was very great] Maclear and Perowne infer from this verse that 
the mouth of the tomb was up a height, but this is hardly warranted by the 
narration. The stones were usually large, to prevent any access to the bodies 
by wild beasts — and being very large they would see the stone even in the 
faint light of the early morning. Mark seems to hear some skeptic say, the 
stone could not be seen in the dim light, so he answers it could, for it was 
exceeding great. 

5. And entering into the sepulchre'] It is conjectured by some that all en- 
tered except Mary of Magdala, who, seeing in the rolling away of the stone the 
confirmation of her worst fears, fled away to find Peter and John. On her 
return to weep at the tomb she met the risen Lord. See v. 9. Others sup- 
pose that she remained behind when the other women departed from tke 
sepulchre, and had a second vision, and met Christ himself. 

a young man] In Luke xxiv, 4, it is said two stood by them in shining gar- 
ments. (Comp. Luke i, 11.) They had the appearance of angels. 

clothed in a long white garment] white or "glistering" (Luke xxiv, 4): 
" hilid with a whit stoole." — Wyclif. The white refers not to the color alone, 
but the brightness of their covering. 

and they were affrighted] see above, ch. ix, 15. It is not mere fright, but 
awe, arising from the appearance of some angelic being. 

6. he is risen] Precisely when he had risen the "keepers " well knew, for 
the lightning-like appearance of the angel made them quail with awe (Matt, 
xxviii, 4). There were no traces of violence. All was order and calm. 
The linen bandages lay carefully unrolled by themselves. The cloth that 
had covered the face lay not with them. It was folded up in a place by itself. 
There had been no haste or confusion in his departure from the tomb. He 
had risen, even as he had said. 

ye seek] The seeking was right, though directed to the wrong place. The 
motives were approved by the celestial visitant, and the women directed to 
the place where they would see the Lord. 

behold the place] which did not contain him now. It was a call to notice 
the evidence of a quiet and actual resurrection, not a hasty snatching away 
of the body by deceivers. 

7. go your way] action now in place of vague astonishment. There was 
a message to be borne. 

and Peter] No wonder that in the Gospel of Mark we find this wonderful 
touch. Who afterwards would have been so likely as the Apostle himself 
to treasure up this word, the pledge of possible forgiveness, after the dread- 
ful hours he must have spent during Friday night, Saturday, and Saturday 
night? What story would he have so often told to his son in the faith, either 
in eastern Babylon or the capital of the West ? 

he goeth before you] It is the same word (a) He himself used on the even- 



Mark XVI, 8, 9.] OX THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 205 



Authorized Version. 

8 And they went out quickly, and fled from 
the sepulchre; for they trembled and were 
amazed : neither said they anything to any man ; 
for they were afraid. 

9 Now when Jesus was risen earlv the first 



Kevtsed Yersiox. 
unto you. And they went out, and fled from 
the tomb; for trembling and astonishment 
had come upon them ; and they said nothing 
to any one ; for they were afraid. 

1 Now when he was risen early on the first 



day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Mag- I day of the week, he appeared first to Mary 

1 The two oldest Greek manuscripts, and some other authorities, omit from ver. 9 to the end. 
Some other authorities have a different ending to the Gospel. 

ing of the betrayal, il After I am risen again, I will go before you into Gali- 
lee" (Matt, xxvi, 32; Mark xiv, 28); (6) applied to the star going before 
the Magi at his nativity; (c) to his own going before his apostles on the road 
towards Jerusalem. 

8. they went out quickly'] overwhelmed with alarm at the sight they had 
witnessed and the words they had heard ; " quickly " is implied, but not ex- 
pressed in the original. See R. V. 

they trembled] or as "Wyclif renders it, " forsothe drede and quakynge 
hadde assaylid hem." They fled, not merely walked, or ran away; implying 
the terror attending the escape. There was speed and silence in their 
movements. 
"For in some dignified similitude, alike, yet different in glory, 

This body shall be shaped anew, fit dwelling for the soul : 

The hovel hath grown to a palace, the bulb hath burst into flower, 

Matter hath put on incorruption, and is at peace with spirit." — M.F. Tupper. 

for they were afraid] in a tumult of rapture and alarm they fled back from 
the tomb towards the city. Those who would throw doubt on the rest of this 
chapter, have offered no satisfactory explanation of the evangelist's motives 
for omitting the appearance of the Lord after the resurrection, nor of the 
abrupt ending of the gospel at this verse with " yap " — " for." Even the 
skeptical Renan objects to ending the gospel in this way. 

9 — 11. The Appearance to Mary Magdalene. 
(Sunday, April 9th, A. D. 30.) 

The genuineness of this section, vs. 9-20 has been much discussed among 
critical scholars. The great majority of those who have entertained doubts in 
regard to the authorship of this passage, have nevertheless granted that it 
was an authentic portion of scripture. After admitting the full force of 
all that has been urged against it, as a production of Mark, there are two 
solutions of the difficulty ; (1) That he was interrupted from completing the 
work at first ; but afterwards, in another land and in more peaceful circum- 
stances, added the closing section, or that an incomplete copy may have got 
into circulation. So Ellicott, Lange and others. (2) That the last leaf was 
accidentally lost, and reproduced by some later transcriber, and hence the 
omission in some of our older MSS. For additional facts see Introduction, 
page 15. 

0. he appeared first] The first person to whom the Saviour shewed 
himself after his resurrection was Mary of Magdala. A discussion on the 
nature of the risen body of the Lord does not come within the scope of this 
work. It will be sufficient to notice that while the body was in many re- 
spects like the other : e.g. in appearance, in the marks upon it, in its power to 
take food ; it was also in many remarkable features quite unlike his former 
body. " He came and went, appeared and disappeared in a most mysterious 
and inscrutable manner." He comes suddenly into a room, the doors being 
shut, he talks and walks with familiar disciples unrecognized ; he vanishes as 
mysteriously as he appears ; all these facts place his appearances after resurrec- 



206 



people's commentary 



[Mark XVI, 10, 11. 



Eevised Version. 
Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven 

10 * devils. She went and told them that had 
been with him, as they mourned and wept. 

11 And they, when they heard he was alive, and 
had been seen of her, disbelieved. 



Authorized Version. 
dalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 

10 And she went and told them that had been 
with him, as they mourned and wept. 

11 And they, when they had heard that he was 
alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. 

1 Gr. demons. 

tion in the sphere of the supernatural. Alford suggests that the normal con- 
dition of his body before the resurrection was to be visible to mortal eyes, 
the normal condition of it after the resurrection to be invisible ; Ellicott 
thinks that the glorification which was perfected at the ascension had already 
begun after the resurrection. 

whom he had cast seven devils'] That Jesus was seen first after his resur- 
rection not by the whole apostoKc company, but by a woman, and that wo- 
man not his earthly mother, but Mary of Magdala, made [a strong impression 
on the early church. 

10. she went and told"] the first to see the risen Lord, she was the first 
to tell the sorrowing disciples. 

as they mourned and wept] or literally " mourning and weeping." " Weyl- 
inge and wepynge" is Wyclif s rendering. 

11. had been seen of her] The original word here translated "had been 
seen ' ■ occurs nowhere else in Mark except here in this section and in verse 14. 

believed not] or ' ' disbelieved ' ' a positive belief on the opposite side ; so 
incredible to them did the whole story appear, though Jesus had told them he 
would arise the third day. 

Practical Suggestions. — " Jesus was, even upon^our journeyings, with 
us." — Quesnel. Woman last at the cross, first at the sepulchre. The stone 
was rolled away. ' ' A large proportion of the saints' anxieties arise from 
things which never really happen." "The friends of Christ have no cause 
to be afraid of angels. " ' ' The very doubts of the eleven apostles are the 
confirmation of our faith in these latter days." — Ryle. "The historical 
problem is as hard to solve as the pictorial, not more so... a key is afforded 
by the simple suggestion that in this account of the Saviour's resurrection 
and subsequent appearances, a specific purpose of the writer is to point out 
the successive steps by which the incredulity of the apostles was at length 
subdued." — Alexander. "They doubted, that we might never doubt." — 
Birney. i l A singular and significant testimony to the truth of the resurrec- 
tion is afforded by the change in the Sabbath day. It was changed not by 
any express command in the N. T. , but by the almost universal consent of 
the church." — Abbott. "Those first saw Jesus who most loved him, and 
most zealously sought him." — Cyprian. The Jews call their synagogues 
Beth chayim — the house of the living, showing that they believe in the res- 
urrection — " I see no greater difficulty in believing the resurrection of the 
dead or the conception of the virgin, than the creation of the world. Is it 
not less easy to reproduce the human body than it was to produce it at 
first." — Pascal. "When we pluck down a house with intent to rebuild 
or repair it, we warn the inhabitants out of it, lest they be soiled with the 
dust and rubbish, or offended with the noise, and so for a time provide 
another place for them ; but when we have now trimmed and dressed up the 
house, then we bring them back to a better habitation ; thus God when he 
overturneth this rotten room of our flesh, calleth out the soul for a little time, 
and lodgeth it with himself in some corner of his kingdom, repaireth the 
imperfections of our bodies against the resurrection ; and then having made 
them beautiful, yea, glorious and incorruptible, he doth put our souls again 
into their acquainted mansions."— Chrysostom. 



Mark XVI, 12.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 207 

AUTHORIZED VERSION. I REVISED VERSION. 

12 After that lie appeared in another form un- | 12 And after these things he was manifested 

12 — 18. Appearance to two and to the Eleven. 
(Sunday, April 9, A. D. 30). 

12. After] The risen Saviour manifested himself first to Mary Magda- 
lene. The Evangelist notices the appearance to the two disciples journeying 
towards Emmaus, which is more fully described by Luke (xxiv, 13-35). 

he appeared] " he is schewid." — Wyclif. In regard to the number of re- 
corded appearances of the Lord after his resurrection, commentators are not 
agreed. Some hold that there are four different ones described as occurring 
on the day of resurrection, others say five; some regard the appearance to 
the disciples by the sea of Galilee, and to the five hundred as the same, 
others hold that they are two different appearances. Robinson gives five on 
the first day and ten before the ascension, as follows : ( 1 ) to the women, (Matt, 
xxviii, 9); (2) to Mary Magdalene; (3) to Peter; (4) to the two going to 
Emmaus ; (5) to the eleven (Thomas absent) ; (6) to the eleven (Thomas 
present) ; (7) to the seven by the sea; (8) to the eleven and five hundred on 
a mountain in Galilee ; (9) to James; (10) to the eleven at Jerusalem just 
before the resurrection. Farrar and Schaff agree also with Robinson, except 
that they place the appearance to Mary Magdalene first, as Mark fairly im- 
plies, then to the other women. Ellicott' s vie w is similar, except that he 
holds to a second appearance to Mary, when she joined the other women. 
Many hold only four recorded appearances on the first day, regarding Nos. 
1 and 2 in the above list as the same. The order of appearances, would then 
be: (1) to Mary Magdalene and the other women (John xx, 14-18; Mark 
xvi, 9; Matt, xxviii, 9) ; (2) to Peter, (Luke xx;v, 34; 1 Cor. xv, 5); (3) 
to the two on the way to Emmaus, (Luke xxiv, 13-35 ; Mark xvi, 12) ; (4) 
to the " eleven" in the evening, Thomas not present, (John xx, 19-24) ; (5) 
to the eleven, Thomas present, (one week later than the former appearance) 
(John xx, 25-29; Mark xvi, 14-18) (?) ; (6) to seven apostles by the sea of 
Galilee, (John xxi, 1-24) ; (7) to the disciples and five hundred brethren in 
a mountain of Galilee, (Matt, xxviii, 16-20 ; 1 Cor. xv, 6) ; (8) to James, 
(1 Cor. xv, 7) ; (9) to the apostles at Jerusalem, (Acts i, 3-5 ; 1 Cor. xv, 7) ; 
(10) near Bethany at the ascension, (Acts i, 6-11 ; Mark xvi, 19 ; Luke xxiv, 
50, 51). He was also seen of Paul, but after, not before the ascension, as 
Godwin assumes, (1 Cor. xv, 8), compare Acts ix, 17. Among those who 
favor the order last named substantially are: Lightfoot, Krafft, Lichtenstein, 
Wieseler, Da Costa, Canon Cook, Geikie. Andrews, Canon Cook, and some 
others hold that of the company of women going to the sepulchre early on 
the first day, only Mary Magdalene saw Jesus. This view is not absolutely 
required by the narratives, and gives much difficulty in harmonizing the 
accounts in Matt, xxviii, 1-9 and John xx, 9-18. Their explanations of 
Matthew's account are plausible but unsatisfactory. If there was an 
appearance to "the women," one of whom was Mary Magdalene, as Mat- 
thew states, this does not contradict, but confirms the appearance re- 
ported by Mark and by John, who name only Mary Magdalene, but omit to 
name the other women as seeing Jesus. An omission is not a contradiction. 
Those who maintain that the appearances at the sea, and on the mountain in 
Galilee are the same, do so on altogether insufficient grounds. There were 
no doubt many other unrecorded appearances of the Lord during the forty 
days, as Luke's language implies, (Acts i, 3). These are recorded that we 
might believe, and have good grounds for the faith that is in us. 

in another form] This implies that he was not at first recognized, as stated 
more fully in Luke xxiv, 16. 



208 



people's commentary 



[Ma-ek XVI, 13-16 



Authorized Version. 
to two of them, as they walked, and went into 
the country. 

13 And they went and told it unto the residue : 
neither believed they them. 

14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as 
they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their 
unbelief and hardness of heart, because they 
believed not them which had seen him after he 
was risen. 

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the 
world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be 



Revised Version. 
in another form unto two of them, as they 

13 walked, on their way into the country. And 
they went away and told it unto the rest : 
neither believed they them. 

14 And afterward he was manifested unto the 
eleven themselves as they sat at meat ; and 
he upbraideth them with their unbelief and 
hardness of heart, because they believed not 
them which had seen him after he was risen. 

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the 
world, and preach the gospel to the whole 

16 creation. He that believeth and is baptized 



unto two of them] The name of one was Cleopas = Cleopatros, not the 
Clopas of John xix, 25, and another whose name is not known. Some have 
conjectured it was Nathanael, others the Evangelist Luke. 

as they walked] into the country from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus. 
Luke says it was sixty stadia (A. V. " threescore furlongs "), or about seven- 
and-a-half miles from Jerusalem. 

13. they went and told it unto the residue] They recognize the Lord in 
the breaking of bread (Luke xxiv, 35), and returned in haste to Jerusalem, 
found ten of the apostles met together (Luke xxiv, 33), and the apostles greet- 
ed them with the joyful tidings, " The Lord is risen indeed and appeared to 
Simon" (Luke xxiv, 34 ; 1 Cor. xv, 5). 

neither believed they them] They had refused to believe Mary Magdalene 
(Markxvi, 11), and even now they could not credit the testimony of the two 
disciples. The evangelists multiply proofs of the slowness of the apostles to 
accept the fact of their Lord's resurrection. The resurrection, it is to be re- 
membered, was unlike any of the recorded miracles of raising from the dead, 
or any of the legends of Greece or Rome. It was " not a restoration to the 
old life, to its wants, to its inevitable ending, but the revelation of a new life, 
foreshadowing new powers of action and a new mode of being. ' ' See West- 
cott's Gospel of the Resurrection. 

14. as they sat at meat] The Greek suggests a suddenness to this appear- 
ance, causing them to be terrified (Luke xxiv, 37). To assure them that his 
appearance was real, he spake to them, reproving their unbelief. If this was 
on the evening of the day of the resurrection, as seems most probable, then 
Thomas was absent, and only ten of the apostles were present.^ 

upbraided them] i l reproached ' ' them ; they were full of mingled feelings 
of joy and fear ; joy at the glimmer of hope that it was all true, fear lest it 
would prove delusive. 

hardness of heart] So he had spoken after the feeding of the five thousand 
and the four thousand. 

them which had seen him] Alford holds that Mark here joins in one at 
least four appearances of the Lord. (1) That to the eleven, Luke xxiv, 36- 
49. (2) On the mountain, Matt, xxviii, 16-20. (3) An unrecorded appear- 
ance vs. 16-18, though these words may have been spoken on the mountain 
in Galilee. (4) The appearance at the ascension. 

15. And he said unto them] A final commission to them and to all disciples. 

16. He that believeth and is baptized] Faith and baptism were required by 
the Lord. Compare the words of Philip the deacon, to the Ethiopian eunuch, 
Acts viii, 37. Baptism was a well-known religious rite before Jesus began 
his ministry. John' s baptism of repentance was accepted by the Jewish peo- 
ple as a familiar religious act. Christ adopted and formally appointed baptism 
as a Christian ordinance, and as such it is clearly distinguished in the New 
Testament from the baptism of John. See Acts xix, 3-5. Christian baptism 
is an ordinance of Christ, by which water administered, " in the name of tlie 



MabkXVI,17.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 209 



Authorized Version. 
saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 
17 And these signs shall follow them that be- 
lieve ; in my name shall they cast out devils ; 
they shall speak with new tongues ; 



Revised Vebsion. 

shall be saved ; but he that disbelieveth shall 

17 be condemned. And these signs shall follow 

them that believe : in my name shall they 

cast out * devils ; they shall speak with * new 



1 Gr. demons. a Some ancient authorities omit new. 

Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" Matt, xxviii, 19, is a sign 
and a seal of the covenant of grace ; an inward cleansing from sin, and re- 
newal of the heart by the Holy Spirit ; and of a believer's spiritual union with 
Christ, his membership in the visible church, and his professed engagement to 
be wholly and only the Lord's. The declaration in this verse is clear : "He 
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that disbelieveth shall be 
condemned." It cannot fairly be inferred from this, however, that salvation 
is impossible without baptism, for it does not read " he that is not baptized 
shall be condemned." The penitent thief on the cross was not baptized, and 
Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before baptism. Many martyrs had no 
opportunity to be baptized ; multitudes of unbaptized children have died in 
infancy. "It is not the want of baptism, but the contempt of it that condemns." 
Nor does it imply that baptism of itself will regenerate the soul. Simon the 
sorcerer was baptized, but was still "in the gall of bitterness " Acts viii, 13, 
23 ; so also, without doubt, Ananias and Sapphira had received baptism. 

In respect to the mode and the subjects of baptism, there have been many 
warm disputes among Christians. Water is regarded as essential to baptism, 
but as to the quantity (sprinkling, pouring or immersion), and the quality 
(warm or cold, rain, spring or river water) required, Christians are not agreed. 
Baptists believe in immersion as the only scriptural mode of baptism, and 
that it should be administered only to professed believers, and they reject 
infant baptism. The Greek church and some small bodies of Protestants 
practice trine immersion. Other Protestant churches do not insist on im- 
mersion, but accept sprinkling or pouring as also valid modes of baptism ; and 
in common with the Greek and Latin Churches, hold to infant baptism. 
In the Protestant, Episcopal, Lutheran, and German Eeformed Churches 
there is a course of catechetical instruction followed by confirmation, which 
admits the baptized children into fall communion with the church. In other 
Protestant churches holding to infant baptism the baptized children are not 
received into full communion until they give evidence of conversion, or re- 
generation by the Holy Spirit. Some do not accept water or any outward 
or ritual baptism ; though they hold to baptism by the Holy Spirit, in com- 
mon with all orthodox Christians. 

he that believeth not] or "disbelieveth," it is more than want of belief 
because of insufficient evidence ; it implies a positive refusal to believe on 
proper evidence ; so there is nothing said of baptism here, for he who refuses 
to believe will refuse to be baptized. 

shall be damned] or " condemned." He who wilfully rejects the gospel 
when offered him, shall have no share in its saving mercies, but be left to the 
condemnation due to his sins. 

17. And these signs'] As Meyer observes, "Jesus does not mean that 
each of these signs should manifest itself with each believer, but this miracle 
with one, and that with another." It does not necessarily mean that every 
believer would perform miracles. There are some variations in this verse as 
it appears in the Arabic and Persic versions. 

shall follow] Literally, proceed along with. 

In my name shall they cast out devils] so did Philip the deacon in Samaria 
(Acts viii, 7), and Paul at Philippi and Ephesus (Acts xvi, 18 ; xix, 15, 16). 

they shall speak with new tongues] as on the day of Pentecost, the friends 
14 



210 



PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY 



[Mark XVI, 18, 19. 



Authorized Version. 

18 They shall take up serpents ; and if they 
drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them ; 
they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall 
recover. 

19 So then, after the Lord had spoken unto 
them, he was received up into heaven, and sat 
on the right hand of God. 



Revised Version. 

18 tongues ; they shall take up serpents, and 
if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no 
wise hurt them ; they shall lay hands on the 
sick, and they shall recover. 

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had 
spoken unto them, was received up into 
heaven, and sat down at the right hand of 



of Cornelius (Acts x, 46), the disciples at Ephesus (Acts xix, 6), and many 
afterwards in the Church of Corinth (1 Cor. xii, 10). 

18. they shall take up serpents] Paul shook off the viper at Malta (Acts 
xxviii, 5). Comp. Luke x, 19. 

and if they drink] Tradition says that John and Justus Barsabas drank the 
cup of hemlock which was intended to cause death, and suffered no harm 
from it. See Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. Ill, 39. The manner in which Eusebius 
treats this tradition, as Canon Cook justly observes, shows how completely 
the memory of these signs had died out, even in the fourth century, and may 
account in part for the suspicion he throws on this section. In the " Epistle 
of Ignatius to the Romans," there is a reference to the persecutions of the 
early Christians, and their fighting with wild beasts, and the writer of the 
Epistle says: " May I enjoy the wild beasts that are prepared for me... and 
whom for that end I will encourage that they may be sure to devour me, and 
not serve me as they have some, whom out of fear they have not touched. ' ' 
This indicates a fulfillment of the Lord's prophecy or promise. 

they shall lay hands on the sick] this Peter did on the lame man, at the 
beautiful gate of the temple (Acts iii, 7), and Paul on Publius, in the island 
of Malta (Acts xxviii, 8). ''Gifts of healing" are mentioned in 1 Cor. xii, 
9, and James v, 14, 15. 

19 — 20. The Ascension. 
Thursday, May 18th, (?) 783, A. D. 30. 

19. So then after the Lord] The Latin and Syriac versions add " Jesus ;" 
the Ethiopic reads, " our Lord, the Lord Jesus ;" the Syriac and Persic, 
' ' our Lord. ' ' These versions show that the ending to this gospel, substanti- 
ally as we now have it, was in existence before these early versions were 
made. 

spoken unto them] The original word here rendered ' ' had spoken unto 
them" signifies to teach, to instruct by preaching and other oral communica- 
tion. Compare its use in Mark xiii, 11 ; John ix, 29. Irenaeus twice quotes 
this final clause in Mark, showing that it was accepted as a part of the gospel 
in his day. 

into heaven] Luke gives a more full account of the final scene. See Luke 
xxiv, 50, 51 5 Acts i, 7. The precise spot from which the ascension took 
place is unknown. The place pointed out by tradition since the seventh 
century is on one of the four summits of Olivet, now covered by the village and 
chapel Jebel-et-Tur. The chapel is of comparatively recent date, and is too 
far from Bethany and too near to Jerusalem to meet the requirements of the gos- 
pel narratives. Stanley fixes the scene ' ' on the wild uplands which immedi- 
ately overhang the village " of Bethany, and Barclay also suggests a hill about 
five hundred yards above the village. The ascension must have taken place 
on some one of the heights near Bethany, on the eastern slope and just below 
the summit of Olivet. 

and sat on the right hand of God] The session at the right hand of God, 
recorded only by Mark, forms a striking and appropriate conclusion to his 
gospel, and " conveys to the mind a comprehensive idea of Christ's majesty 
and rule." Our Lord was " taken up " and bore our redeemed humanity into 



Mam XYI, 20.] 



ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



211 



AUTHOBIZED VEBSION. 

20 And they went forth, and preached every- 
where, the Lord working with them, and con- 
firming the word with signs following. Amen. 



Bevised Version. 
20 God. And they went forth, and preached 
everywhere, the Lord working with them, 
and confirming the word by the signs that 
followed. Amen. 



the very presence of God, into " the place, of all places in the universe of 
things, in situation most eminent, in quality most holy, in dignity most excel- 
lent, in glory most illustrious, the inmost sanctuary of God's Temple above." 
— Barrow's Sermon on the ascension. 

20. and they} the apostles. 

went forth] This word is a usual one in Mark's gospel. They went forth 
but not immediately. They were commanded not to depart from Jerusa- 
lem," but to " tarry " there until at Pentecost they should be endued with 
power from on high (Luke xxiv, 49; Acts i, 4). 

and preached everywhere'] Mark himself when he wrote his gospel, had 
witnessed the spread of the church from Babylon in the distant East to 
Rome in the West. Augustine's prayer is a fitting one now: "Lord, give 
us strength to do what thou dost command ; and then command whatsoever 
pleaseth thee." 

the Lord working with them] The word translated " working with them 11 
only occurs here in the gospels, but is used by Paul, Rom. viii, 28, "all 
things work together for good to them that love God; " 1 Cor. xvi, 16; 2 Cor. 
vi, 1. " The laws of nature," observes Whewell, "are the laws which God 
in his wisdom prescribes to his own acts ; his universal presence is the neces- 
sary condition of any course of events ; his univeral agency the only origin 
of any efficient force." Sir Isaac Newton declares that the various parts 
of the world, organic and inorganic, ' ' can be the effect of nothing else than 
the wisdom and skill of a powerful and ever-living agent, who, being in all 
places is more able by his will to move the bodies within his boundless uni- 
form sensorium, thereby to form and reform the parts of the universe, than 
we are by our will to move parts of our own body. ' ' And here it is declared 
that he used these powers for the upbuilding of his spiritual kingdom on the 
earth. 

"In God's great field of labor 
All work is not the same ; 
He hath a service for each one 
Who loves his holy name." — Havergal. 

confirming] strengthening the cause of truth. The Syriacand Persic versions 
render it, "with signs following which they did." Tertullian declared, in re- 
gard to the increase of Christians in the Roman Empire, " Though but of 
yesterday, yet have we filled your cities, islands, castles, corporations, coun- 
cils, your armies themselves, your tribes, companies, the palace, the senate, 
and courts of justice ; only your temples have we left you free." The apos- 
tolic period of the Christian Church is usually regarded as beginning about 
A. D. 30, and ending with A. D, 100. The three stages of growth were : 
(1) founding the church among the Jews; (2) among the Gentiles ; (3) blend- 
ing of the Jewish and Gentile Christians in unity. The local centres were 
Jerusalem, Antioch, and Ephesus, and lastly, Rome, the capital and mistress 
of the world. 

Amen] This word closes each of the four gospels, according to the A. V., 
but the R. V. omits it in all the gospels except Mark's. At the end of a 
prayer and of a writing, as here, " Amen" is a devout wish or prayer that 
what is asked or written may be fulfilled. The word comes from the Hebrew, 
meaning "true," or " let it be so," and was used as a solemn affirmative re- 



212 PEOPLE'S COMMENTARY [Mark XVI, 20. 

sponse to an oath. It was also used by our Saviour, at the beginning of an 
important utterance, to gain attention and give solemnity to the truth. Mark 
having witnessed the dark shadows of coming persecutions at Rome, and 
perhaps writing from that city, must have earnestly prayed and anxiously 
looked for the fulfillment of the Lord's promises respecting the spread of the 
gospel. The "Amen" gives expression to these desires, and it is also a sol- 
emn seal to testify his and every devout believer's assurance that these things 
are true, and that the Lord's kingdom will be established gloriously over all 
the earth. 

Practical Suggestions. — " The words of Christ are words of majesty, 
for that may well be termed majesty, by virtue of which these poor beggars 
are commanded to go forth and preach this new truth, not in one city or 
country, but in" all the world... no injunction of earth has surpassed it." — 
Luther. " God will exclude no one from eternal blessedness who does not 
exclude himself through unbelief. ' ' — Osiander. ' ' All miracles which accom- 
pany the proclamation of the divine word are signs ; they point to that in- 
ternal wonder of salvation and the new birth which the word effects, and only 
in so far have they value." — Gerlach. # " To disbelieve is very different from 
not knowing the gospel ; unbelief and ignorance are two essentially distinct 
ideas. ' ' — Heubner. 

The spread of the gospel at the present time may be partially shown by 
the following late estimate of those embracing the various religions in the 
world : 



Jews 6,000,000 

Mohammedans 160,823,000 

Pagans 766,342,000 



Total Non- Christian... 933,165,000 



Protestant 97,139,000 

Roman Catholic 195,000,000 

Greek Church 69,692,700 

Oriental Christians 6,500,000 



Total Christians 368,331,700 



or about one-third of the total population of the world now accept the Christ- 
ian religion. 

The numerical progress of the gospel since the time of Christ may be in- 
dicated by the following approximate statement of the number accepting 
Christianity at successive periods, according to Sharon Turner (except the 
nineteenth century), given in round numbers : 



First century 500,000 

Second u 2,000,000 

Third " 5,000,000 

Fourth " 10,000,000 

Fifth " 15,000,000 

Sixth " 20,000,000 

Seventh" 24,000,000 

Eighth " 30,000,000 

Ninth " 40,000,000 



Tenth century 50,000,000 

Eleventh " 70,000,000 

Twelfth " 80,000,000 

Thirteenth century 75,000,000 

Fourteenth " 80,000,000 

Fifteenth " 100,000,000 

Sixteenth " 125,000,000 

Seventeenth " 155,000,000 

Eighteenth " 200,000,000 



Nineteenth century, 400,000,000. 

" The portals of grace stand open to all ; oh ! let us enter and not delay ! " 
— Nova Bibl. Sub. " The ascension of Jesus is our after-ascension. Where 
the Head is there are the members... The heavens stand open, we are certain 
of our salvation... The presence of Christ in the earth has not ceased with his 
ascension : it is rather established, being combined with his session at the 
right hand of God. ' ' —Starke. l ' Where the spiritually blind are enlightened, ' ' 
says Hedinger," the spiritually dead quickened, the spiritually deaf and dumb 
made to hear devoutly and speak piously, the spiritually lame made to be in- 



Make XYI, 20.] ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 213 

dustriously active, and the spiritually leprous are cleansed from sins, these are 
greater signs and wonders than physical changes. " ' ' The age of spiritual 
miracles is not past," says Ryle ; " The renewal of every saint is as greats 
marvel as the casting out of a devil... The conversion and perseverance in 
grace of every member of the church is a sign and wonder as great as the 
raising of Lazarus from the dead. " These signs still follow them that be- 
lieve. Happy are they who can humbly and truly exclaim: " I was blind, 
but now I see." "I was dead, but am alive again." "I am a miracle of 
grace 1 " 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



PAGE 

Alabaster Vases 163 

Asiatic Beds 39 

Assarion Farthing 148 

Asses, Syrian 129 

Basket on Head of Woman 96 

Beds, Asiatic 39 

Blind in Syria 99 

Bottles, Skin 44 

Csesarea Philippi 101 

Capacity, Measures of. 60 

Centurion, Roman 200 

Chafing-Dish, Charcoal 187 

Cross, Three Forms of. 196 

" Superscription on 197 

Cups, Drinking 123 

Dancing Girl 79 

Denarius (Roman Penny) 82 

Dog, Syrian 92 

Dolorosa Via 181 

Dove, A 28 

Drinking Cups 123 

Edom, Approach to, from East 48 

Elisha's Fountain at Jericho 124 

Farthing, Assarion 148 

Figs, Eastern 132 

Fishes of Sea of Galilee 83 

Forms of Cross 196 

Galilee, Sea of 31 

" "Map 32 

Garment, Fringed 71 

Gateway, Eastern 120 

Gethsemane, Garden of 177 

Girdles 26 

Girl, Dancing 79 

Glass Lamps 61 

Hands, Washing 87 

Hermon, Mount 101 

House Top 40 

Lamps, Glass..... 61 

Leper, A 37 

Jericho, Fountain at 124 

Jerusalem, Modern 169 

Jewish Wailing-Place 150 



PAGE 

Map of Sea of Galilee 32 

Measures of Capacity 60 

Meiron, Synagogue at 31 

Millstones 112 

Mount Hermon ioi 

MSS. Specimens of Scriptures 9 

Mustard 62 

Myrrh 195 

Palestine Thorns 58 

Pitchers, Water 167 

Olives, Mount of. 127 

Rock-cut Tomb 66 

Roman Centurion 200 

" Penny , 82 

" Standards 154 

" Triclinium 42 

Sandals 76 

Scribe, Jewish, A 147 

Scripture Specimens of MSS 9 

Sea of Galilee 31 

Sidon 54 

Sheke) 133 

Shewbread, Table of. 45 

Skin Bottles 44 

Sower, Eastern 24 

Standards, Roman 154 

Stone at Mouth of Tomb 203 

Synagogue at Meiron = 31 

Syrian Dog 92 

Tabernacle, Form of. , 106 

Table of Shewbread 45 

Thorn, Palestine 58 

Tombs Hewn in the Rock 66 

Tomb, Rolling Stone at Mouth of. 203 

Triclinium, Roman 42 

Tyre, Modern 49 

Vases, Alabaster 163 

Via Dolorosa 181 

Wailing-Place of the Jews 150 

Washing Hands 87 

Water Pitchers 167 

Woman with Basket •••• 96 

Zidon..,.. e ,„„„, 54 



MAPS. 

Map of Sea of Galilee 31 

" " Journeyiugs of our Saviour Frontispiece. 

Environs of Jerusalem 129 



INDEX. 



Abba, 175. 
Abiathar, 4f . 
Abimelech, 46. 

Abomination of desolation, 154. 
Agony in tbe garden, 173. 
Ahimelech, 46. 
Alabaster box, 163. 
Alexander tbe Great, 69. 
Alphams, 42, 52, 74. 

Amazement of disciples, 65, 85, 108,121. 
of others, 94, 134, 142. 
" of Jesus, 75, 174. 
Andrew, 51, 52, 84, 151. 
Angels, ministry of, 29, 158, 204. 
Anger of Jesus, 47. 
Anointing with oil, 77. 
Annas, account of, 180, 
Ambitious apostles, 122. 
Anointing at Bethany, the, 161, 162. 
Antipas, 48, 50, 77, 81. 
Appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, 

" " to the eleven, 207. 

Apostles, calling of, 30, 42, 50. 

" mission of, 75. 

" return of, 81. 
Ascension of Jesus, 210. 
Attempt to seize Jesus, 140. . 
Aramaic expressions, 52, 73, 94, 198. 
Aretas, 78, 79. 
Aristobulus, 79. 
Arrest of Jesus, 165. 
Ass, the, 128. 

B 

Baal, 100. 
Baneas, 100. 
Baptism, 29, 122, 208. 

of John, 25, 136. 

" of repentance, 26, 136. 
Barabbas, 191. 
Bartholomew, 51, 52. 
Bartimeus cured, 124, 125, 126. 
Baskets, 83, 96, 133. 
Bed, 41, 86. 
Beelzebub, 53. 
Belief, 30, 109. 
Beginning, the, 25. 

" of Christ's ministry, 30. 
Benches, 42, 87. 

Bethany, 126, 130, 132, 161, 165. 
Bethphage, 126, 132. 
Bethsaida, 84, 93, 98. 
Betrayal, intimation of, 170. 
the, 176. 

" foretold, 170. 
" Beware of the scribes," 147. 
Bigotry reproved, 112. 
Birthday observance, 79. 
Blasphemy, warning against, 55. 
Blessing little children, 117. 
Blood of Jesus, why shed, 172. 
Blind man at Jericho, 125, 126. 
" cure of, 99. 



Boanerges, 52. 

Boat, 32, 64, 84. 

"Body, this is my," 171. 

Book of Moses, 143. 

Bottles, 44, 167. 

Brethren of Jesus, 56, 74. 

Burnt offerings and sacrifices, 145, 148. 

Burial of Jesus, 203. 

Bush, the Lord's appearance to Moses, 143. 

Bushel, a, 60. 

c 

Caesar, 142. 

Caesarea Philippi, 100, 101. 
Caiaphas, 162. 
Calling the disciples, 30, 50. 
Camel, the, 120. 
Candle, a, 60. 

Capernaum, 30, 33, 93, 111. 
Carpenter, the, 74. 

Casting lots for the garments of Jesus, 196. 
Centurion, the, acknowledges Christ the Sob 
205. of God, 200. 

Chains, 67. 
Charger, a, 80. 
Christians, flight of, 155. 
Chief priests, 134, 161, 165, 192. 

" stir up the people, M2. 

Children received by Jesus, 117. 
Christ's kingdom, 111. 

" second coming, 157. 
Church and State, 142. 
Cities of Decapolis, 69. 
Cleansing of a leper, 37. 

" the temple, 133. 
Clopas, 74. 
Cock crowing, 173. 
Colt, a, 128. 

Coming of Christ, second, 157. 
Commandments, the, 118, 144. 
Condemnation, 148. 

" of Jesus, 184. 

Confession of Peter, 100, 122. 

" of sin, 26. 
Conspiracy of the Jews, 140. 
Corban, 88. 
Corner stone, 140. 
Corn plucking on the Sabbath, 45. 

" yield of, 58. 
Courts of Jews, 70, 136, 152, 188. 
Covetousness, 89. 
Crown of thorns, 194. 
Cross, bearing the, 103, 104, 119. 
Crosses, kinds of, 196. 
Cup, the, 123, 172. 
Custom, receipt of, 42, 141, 142. 

D 

Dalmanutha, 96. 

Dance, the Oriental, 79. 

Danger of riches, 120. 

Daughter of Herodias, 79. 

Dead raised, 70, 142, 144. 

Deaf and Dumb, healing of, 93 

Death of Jesus, intimations of, 102, 106, 111, 121. 

215 



216 INDEX. 


Decapolis, 69, 93, 94. 


Gospel, meaning of, 25. 


Demoniacs cured, 33, 66. 


" preaching of, 153, 164. 


" in Lebanon, 69, 


Growth of the kingdom, 63, 111, 212. 


Demosthenes, 59. 


Grain, yield of, 58. 


Denarius, 82, 141, 165. 


Guest chamber, the, 167. 


Denial of Peter, 187. 


H 

Hands, 87. 
Hardness of heart, 47. 


Destruction of Jerusalem, 149, 154, 158. 


Devils' recognition of Jesus, 34, 67. 
Desert places, 36, 39, 81, 82. 


Didymus, 52. 

Disciples, call of, 30, 42, 50. 


Hattin, Horns of, 51. 

Healing the daughter of the Syrophcenician 


" secret, 128. 
" ordained, 51. 
Divorce, 115. 


woman, 91. 
Healing demoniacs, 33, 66. 


" withered hand, 46. 


Dogs, 92. 


Hedge, a, 137. 


Doubt, 135. 

Dove, a, 28, 133. 

Duty to magistrates, 142. 

E 


Hell, 113. 

Hermon, Mount, 100, 101, 105. 


Herod Antipas, 48, 50,77, 81. 
Herodians, the, 48, 98, 140, 141. 


Herodias, 78. 


iEschylus, 59. 


High mountain, a, 104. 


Eagles, Roman, 154. 


" Priest, the, 180. 


Eating, traditions as to, 86. 


Hinnom, 113. 


Edom, 48. 


Holy Ghost, 28. 


Entry, triumphal, 126, 131. 


Holy One of God, 34, 50. 


Elders, the, 70, 87, 136. 


Hospitality, 76. 


Eleusis, 59. 


Hospitals, 67. 


Elisha's Fountain at Jericho, 124. 


Hosanna, 131. 


Elijah, 73, 102, 105, 107, 108. 


Hunger of Jesus, 132. 


Eloi, the cry of Jesus, 198. 


Husbandmen, wicked, 137. 


Ephraim, 115. 


Housetop, 39, 40, 155. 


Euripides, 72. 


Hymn sung after Lord's Supper, 168, 172. 


Evil, its depth and extent, 66. 


1 
Idumea, 48, 50. 


Executioner sent to behead John, 80. 

F 


Ignatius, the martyr, 112. 


Fall of Jerusalem, 149, 154, 158. 


J 

Jairus' daughter, cure of, 70. 


False Christs, 157. 
" witnesses, 182. 


Faith, 30, 65, 109, 134. 
Farthing, 148. 
Fasts, 43. 


James and John, request of, 122. 
" 32, 51, 72, 104, 122, 151. 
" the Less, 42, 51, 52, 200. 


Feast of unleavened bread, 161. 


" and Joses, 74. 


Fear of disciples, 65. 
Fertility of Palestine, 59. 
Figs, 132. 


Jericho, 124. 

Jerusalem, destruction of, 149, 150, 154, 158. 
" its strength, 150. 


Fig tree withered, 133, 134, 158. 


" modern, 169. 
Jesus — 
Baptism of, 27. 


Final judgment, 158. 
Fishes, 83. 


Five thousand fed, 82. 
Flight of Christians, 155. 


Temptation of, 29. 

Begins his ministry and calls four disciples, 


Following Jesus, 37, 119, 126. 
Forgiving sins, 39, 40. 
Forgiveness, 135. 


30. 
Boldness of, 53. 
Cures demoniac at Capernaum, 33. 


Four thousand fed, 94. 


Cures Peter's wife's mother, 35. 




Cures sick in Capernaum, 36. 


G 


Retires for solitary prayer, 36. 


Gadara, 66. 


Cleanses a leper, 37. 


Galilee, 30. 


Acknowledges the law, 38. 


" Sea of, 30, 64, 84. 


Heals the paralytic and forgives sins, 39. 


Gardens, Eastern, 130. 


Call of Matthew, 42. 


Garments, 44, 71, 76, 86, 125, 130, 147. 


At feast in his house, 42. 


Gateway, Eastern, 120. 


Answers John's disciples about fasting, 44. 


Gehenna, 113. 


Defends his disciples for plucking corn on 


Gennesaret, 86. 


Sabbath, 45. 


Generation, 158. 


Cures the withered hand, 47. 


Gergesa, 66. 


Calls the twelve, 50. 


Gersa, 68. 


Mother and brothers, 56, 74. 


Gethsemane, 174. 


Parable of the sower, 57. 


God (Jehovah), 25, 143. 


" " seed, etc., 61. 


." (the Father), 28, 107, 175. 


Stilling the storm, 64. 


" of the Living, the, 143. 


The legion cast out, 66. 


Golgotha, 195. 


Restoration of Jairus' daughter, 70. 


Gospel, beginning of, 25. 


Cure of woman with issue of blood, 71. 



INDEX. 



217 



Jesus — 

Rejection at Nazareth, 73. 

Feeds the five thousand, 81. 

Walks on the water, 84. 

Reproves Pharisees for their ceremonial 
cleanliness only, 87. 

Cures the daughter of the Syrophoenician 
woman, 90. 

Heals a deaf and dumb man, 93. 

Feeds four thousand, 94. 

Cures the blind man of Bethsaida, 99. 

Confession of Peter, 100, 122. 

His Transfiguration, 104. 

Heals the lunatic child, 108. 

Rebukes ambitious Apostles, 122. 

Answers the Pharisees on marriage and di- 
vorce, 115. 

Receives little children, 117. 

Tests the rich young ruler, 118. 

Teaches the danger of riches, 120. 

Heals Bartimeus, 124, 125, 126. 

Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, 126. 

Curses the fig tree, 132. 

Cleanses the temple, 133. 

His authority questioned, 136. 

The wicked husbandmen, 137. 

Answers Pharisees about tribute, 141. 

Answers Sadducees about the resurrection, 
143. 

The question of the scribe, 144. 

Denounces the scribes, 147. 

The widow's mite, 148. 

Foretells destruction of Jerusalem, 149. 

Foretells his second coming, 157. 

His command to watch, 159. 

Anointed by Mary, 162. 

Judas conspires to betray him, 165. 

The Passover, 168. 

Foretells his betrayal, 170. 

Agony in the garden, 173. 

Betrayed and taken, 178. 

His trial before the high priests, 179. 

False witnesses accuse him, 183. 

His denial by Peter, 186. 

Before Pilate, 189. 

Clamor against, 192. 

Clothed with purple, 193. 

Crucified, 196. 

His words on the cross, 198. 

His burial, 202. 

His resurrection, 203. 

His appearances, 205, 207, 208. 

His ascension, 210. 

J 
Jewish mode of reckoning time, 126. 
Jewish trial, the, 179. 
John, 32, 51, 52, 72, 104*, 122, 128, 151, 166. 
John the Baptist, 26, 77. 

His clothing, etc., 26. 

The messenger, 25. 

His preaching, 26. 

Teaching respecting, 136. 

Imprisoned, 30. 

Death of, 78. 

Tomb of, 81. 
Jordan, 27. 

Joseph of Arimathsea secures Jesus' body, 202. 
Judas Iscariot, 51, 53, 163. 

Conspires to betray Christ, 165. 

Betrays Christ, 178. 

Was he at the Lord's Supper ?, 171. 
Judas of Galilee, 141. 
Judgment, final, 158. 



Kedron, 149. 
Kerza, 68. 
Kind acts, 112,164. 
Kingdom of God, 30, 59, 104, 117, 131. 
" growth of, 63, 111. 

L 

Lamb, the passover, 166. 

Lamp, a, 60, 61. 

Latchet, 27. 

Lazarus, 72, 126. 

Leaven of Pharisees, etc., 98. 

Legality of the trial of Jesus, 185. 

Legion, the, 67. 

Leper, cleansing the, 37. 

Leprosy, 37. 

Long clothing, 147. 

Loaves, 83. 

Lord, 126. 

Lord's Supper, the, 165. 

Lunatic child, cure of, 108. 

M 

Machserus, 78, 79. 

Magadan, 96. 

Magdala, 96. 

Maniac in Lebanon, 69. 

Mariamne, 79. 

Marriage legislation of Pharisees, lift. 

Mary (Virgin Mary), 74. 

Sister of, 74. 

Of Bethany, 126, 162. 
Mary Magdalene, 68, 126, 200. 

Appearance of Je6us to, 205. 
Master, 72, 126, 141. 
Matthew, 42, 51, 52. 
Measures, 60, 87. 
Merchandise in temple, 133. 
Millstone, 112. 
Miracles of Jesus — 

Bartimeus cured, 124, 125, 126. 

Blind man cured, 99. 

Classified, 100. 

Extent of belief in Christ's miracles, 110. 

Deaf and dumb healed, 93. 

Demon cast out, 33. 

Five thousand fed, 82. 

Four thousand fed, 94. 

Differences between these two miracles, 9fl^ 

Fig tree withered, 133, 134. 

Jairus' daughter restored, 70. 

Gennesaret, in, 86. 

Legion, the, cast out, 66. 

Leper cured, 37. 

Lunatic child cured, 108. 

Paralytic cured, 39. 

Peter's wife's mother cured, 35. 

Stilling the storm, 64. 

Syrophoenician woman's daughter cured, 91* 

Walking on the sea, 85. 

Withered hand cured, 47. 

Woman with issue of blood cured, 71. 
Mission of the twelve, 75. 

Return from, 81. 
Mites, 148. 

Money, 76, 82, 133, 148, 164, 165. 
Money changers, 133. 
Mount Moriah, 131, 
Molech, rites of, 113. 
Moses, 43, 105, 116, 142 
Mode of working in the East, 42. 
Mother of Jesus, 56, 74. 
Mount Sinai, Moses in, 43. 



218 



INDEX, 



Mustard seed, 62. 


Resurrection, 142, 144. 


tree, 62. 


Return of the twelve, 81. 


Multitude, a, 48, 50, 94, 178. 


Rich young ruler, the, 118. 


Murder of John the Baptist, 77. 


Riches, 120. 


Mystery, 59. 


Roof, 39, 40, 155. 


N 


Rooms, uppermost, 147, 167. 


Net, 32. 


Roman legion, 67. 


, Naboth, 139. 


" triclinium, 42, 87, 147 


' Nazareth, 73. 

© 

Offering of a cleansed leper, 38. 
Oil, anointing with, 77. 


Rulers' consultations, 161. 


s 

Sabbath day, charged with breaking the, 45. 
" the, 36, 45, 46, 156. 


Ointment of spikenard, 163. 

Olives, Mount of, 127, 130, 151. 

Old Testament, citations from, 25, 88, 140, 143, 


Sacrifices, burnt offering and, 145. 
Sadducean belief, 77, 143. 
Sadducees, the, 97, 98, 142. 


146; 154. 


" and the resurrection, 143. 


Ophrah, 115. 


Salome, 32, 51, 122. 


Origin of the Gospels, 7. 


" daughter of Herodias, 79. 


P 


Salted with fire, 113. 


Palm Sunday, 126. 


Sandals, 76. 


Parables, 57, 59, 61, 115, 137. 


Satan, 29, 37, 55, 69, 102. 


Parables of Jesus — 


Sanhedrin, the, 70, 136, 152, 160, 188. 


Of the sower, 57. 


Scribe, 33, 144, 147. 


Seed and mustard seed, 61. 


Scrip, 76. 


Sower and tares, 62. 


Sea of Galilee, 30, 31, 84. 


Pounds, 126. 


Seats, chief, 147. 


The wicked husbandmen, 137. 


Second coming of Jesus, 157. 


Paralytic, the, cure of, 39. 


Seed, the, 61. 


Passion of Jesus, 102, 106, 111, 121. 


Selection of Peter, James, and John, 72, 104. 


Passover, the, 161, 166. 


Servants, 33. 


" mode of eating, 171. 


" God's, their work, 63. 


" preparations for, 166, 167. 


Shekel, 133. 


Patience, 153. 


Shekinah, the, 106, 


Paul, 77, 96. 


Showbread, eaten by David, 45. 


Penny, 82, 141, 164. 


" table of, 45. 


Persons raised from dead, 70. 


Ship, 32, 64, 84. 


Persecution of disciples foretold, 152. 


Sidon, 91, 93. 


Peter, Simon, 30,35, 39, 51, 72, 84, 86, 100, 104, 


Sickle, the, 62. 


128, 134, 151, 166, 173. 


Siege of Jerusalem, 155, 156. 


Peter's denial foretold, 173. 


Signs, 74, 97. 


Peter's wife's mother, cure of, 35. 


" of Christ's coming, 151. 


Pharisees, the, 43, 47, 86, 97, 98, 114, 140. 


Simon of Cyrene compelled to bear the cross, 194. 


" conspire against Jesus, 47. 


" the leper, 126, 162. 


Philip (the apostle), 51, 52, 82, 84. 


" feast of, 162. 


Philip (the tetrarch), 78, 79. 


" the Cananasan, 51, 53. 


Phoenicia, cities of, 48, 90. 


Sin, remission of, 55, 72, 90. 


Pilate, 189. 


Sorrow, beginning of, 152. 


" yields to people's clamor, 192. 


Son of David, 125, 146. 


" scourges Jesus, 193. 


" God, 25, 35, 50, 85, 105, 159. 


Pillow, 64. 


" Man, 41, 46, 157. 


Pindar, 67. 


Sorrow of Jesus, 174. 


Pitcher, water, 197. 


Soul, 103. 


Plucking ears of corn, 45. 


Sower, 24. 


Poor, the, 164. 


" parable of the, 57. 


Posture in prayer, 135. 


Spirit, The Holy, 28. 


Pots, 87. 


Spikenard ointment, 163. 


Powers, 74. 


Spread of the Gospel, 212. 


Prayer, 36, 84, 94, 105, 110, 135, 155, 159, 174. 


Staff, 75. 


Preparations for the Passover, 167. 


Standards, Roman, 154. 


Prsetorium, the, 193. 


."tilling the storm, 64. 


Priests, 134, 161, 165, 192. 


Stone rolled away, 203. 


Prince of Peace, the, 131. 


Stony ground, 58. 


Prophets, citatio ns from, 25, 88, 154. 


Storm, stilling the, 64. 


Psalms, citations from, 140, 146. 


Supper, the institution of, 171. 


Publicans and sinners, 42. 


Supremacy of Peter, 111. 


Punishment of wicked, 113. 


Superscription, the, on the cross, 197. 


R 

Receipt of custom, 42, 141, 142. 
Rejected at Nazareth, 73. 
" Capernaum, 97. 


Swine, 68. 


Syria, division of, 91. 
Synagogue, the, 31, 33, 70, 73. 
Syrophoenician woman, 90. 

T 


Remission of sins, 26, 172. 


Repentance, 26, 30. 


Tables, 42, 87. 



INDEX. 



219 



Tabor, Mount, 104. 

Taxes, Roman, 42, 141, 142. 

Tabernacles, 106. 

Tax gatherers, 42. 

Temple, the, 133, 150, 151. 

Temptation, the, 29. 

Tetrarchs, 153. 

Thaddeus, 51, 53. 

Thieves crucified with Jesus mock Him, 198. 

Thirty pieces of silver, 165. 

Thomas, 51, 52. 

Thorns of Palestine, 58. 

Tiberius Caesar, 142. 

Time, 36, 45, 85, 126, 131, 160, 161, 168, 173. 

Titus, 150, 156. 

Tombs, 66. 

Tophet, 113. 

Tower, 138. 

Traditions, 87, 88. 

Transfiguration of Jesus, 104, 105. 

Treasury, the, 148. 

Trespasses, 135. 

Trial before Pilate, 188,190. 

Tribunes, 79. 

Tribute money, the, 140. 

Triclinium, Roman, 42, 87, 147, 168. 

Triumphant entry, 126, 131. 

Troubles, 151, 152, 156. 

True greatness, 111. 

Types of Christ's death, 124. 

Tyre, 48, 49, 91. 

u 

Upper room for passover. tfft 
Uppermost rooms, 147. 



Vineyard, 137. 

Voice from heaven, 28, 106. 

w 

Wailing place of Jews, 150. 
Walking on the sea, 84. 
Washing hands, 87. 
Watch (time), 85, 131, 168. 
Watch, 160, 174. 
Watchfulness enjoined, 159. 
Weakness of disciples, 109. 
Weariness of Jesus, 65. 
Wickedness, 90. 
Widow's mite, the, 148. 
Wilderness, 25, 36, 39. 
Will of God, 56. 
Wind rebuked, 64. 

Wine mingled with myrrh given to Christ, 195. 
Wine press, 137. 
" skins, 44. 
Withered hand, healing the, 46. 
Women at the sepulchre, 204. 
Wonders, 74. 
Works, mighty, 74. 
Worship of Jesus, 67. 



Xenophon, 37, 72. 
Xerxes, 130. 



Zaccheus, 126. 
Zealot, Simon, the, §L 
Z«bedee, 32, 51. 



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